HAP. I.

Select Sentences, &c.

35

No one ought to consider himself as insignificant in the ght of his Creator. In our several stations, we are all sent th to be labourers in the vineyard of our heavenly Father. very man has his work allotted, his talent committed to him; the due improvement of which he may, in one way or her, serve God, promote virtue, and be useful in the world. The love of praise should be preserved under proper sublination to the principle of duty. In itself, it is a useful tive to action; but when allowed to extend its influence far, it corrupts the whole character, and produces guilt, grace, and misery. To be entirely destitute of it, is a de1. To be governed by it, is depravity. The proper ad(ment of the several principles of action in human nature matter that deserves our highest attention. For when one of them becomes either too weak or too strong, it langers both our virtue and our happiness.

The desires and passions of a vicious man, having once ained an unlimited sway, trample him under their feet. ey make him feel that he is subject to various, contratory, and imperious masters, who often pull him differways. His soul is rendered the receptacle of many regnant and jarring dispositions; and resembles some barous country, cantoned out into different principalities, ich are continually waging war on one another. Diseases, poverty, disappointment, and shame are far m being, in every instance, the unavoidable doom of man. ey are much more frequently the offspring of his own sguided choice. Intemperance engenders disease, sloth oduces poverty, pride ereates disappointments, and disnesty exposes to shame. The ungoverned passions of n betray them into a thousand follies; their follies into mes; and their crimes into misfortunes.

When we reflect on the many distresses which abound in man life; on the scanty proportion of happiness which y man is here allowed to enjoy; on the small difference hich the diversity of fortune makes on that scanty proporon; it is surprising, that envy should ever have been a revalent passion among men, much more that it should ave prevailed among Christians. Where so much is sufered in common, little room is left for envy. There is tore occasion for pity and sympathy, and inclination to aseach other.

At

our first setting out in life, when yet unacquainted h the world and its snares, when every pleasure enchant hits smile, and every shines with the gloss

If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink.

He that planted the ear, shall he not hear? He that formed the eye, shall he not see?

I have been young, and now I am old; yet have I never seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.

It is better to be a door keeper in the house of the Lord, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.

I have seen the wicked in great power: and spreading Limself like a green bay tree. Yet he passed away: I sought him, but he could not be found.

Happy is the man that findeth wisdom. Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand, riches and honour. Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.

How good and and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like precious ointment: Like the dew of Hermon, and the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion.

The sluggard will not plough by reason of the cold; he hall therefore beg in harvest, and have nothing.

I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of e man void of understanding: and lo! it was all grown over with thorns; nettles had covered its face; and the stone wall was broken down. Then I saw, and considered it well: I looked upon it, and received instruction.

Honourable age is not that which standeth in length of ime; nor that which is measured by number of years: But wisdom is the gray hair to man; and an unspotted life is old age.

Solomon, my son, know thou the God of thy fathers; and Meerve him with a perfect heart, and with a willing mind. If thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off forever.

G

SECTION IX.

THAT every day has its pains and sorrows is universally perienced, and almost universally confessed. But let us not tend only to mournful truths: if we look impartially about , we shall find that every day has likewise its pleasures nd its joys.

We should cherish sentiments of charity towards all men. he Author of all good nourishes much piety and virtue in Tarts that are unknown to us; and beholds repentance ready th wing up among many, whom we consider as reprobates

CHAP. I.

Select Sentences, &c.

35

No one ought to consider himself as insignificant in the sight of his Creator. In our several stations, we are all sent forth to be labourers in the vineyard of our heavenly Father. Every man has his work allotted, his talent committed to him; by the due improvement of which he may, in one way or other, serve God, promote virtue, and be useful in the world. The love of praise should be preserved under proper subordination to the principle of duty. In itself, it is a useful motive to action; but when allowed to extend its influence too far, it corrupts the whole character, and produces guilt, disgrace, and misery. To be entirely destitute of it, is a defeet. To be governed by it, is depravity. The proper adjustment of the several principles of action in human nature is a matter that deserves our highest attention. For when any one of them becomes either too weak or too strong, it endangers both our virtue and our happiness.

The desires and passions of a vicious man, having once obtained an unlimited sway, trample him under their feet. They make him feel that he is subject to various, contradictory, and imperious masters, who often pull him different ways. His soul is rendered the receptacle of many repugnant and jarring dispositions; and resembles some barbarous country, cantoned out into different principalities, which are continually waging war on one another.

Diseases, poverty, disappointment, and shame are far from being, in every instance, the unavoidable doom of man. They are much more frequently the offspring of his own nisguided choice. Intemperance engenders disease, sloth produces poverty, pride ereates disappointments, and dishonesty exposes to shame. The ungoverned passions of nen betray them into a thousand follies; their follies into rimes; and their crimes into misfortunes.

When we reflect on the many distresses which abound in human life; on the scanty proportion of happiness which any man is here allowed to enjoy; on the small difference which the diversity of fortune makes on that scauty proportion; it is surprising, that envy should ever have been a prevalent passion among men, nen, much more that it should have prevailed among Christians. Where so much is suffered in common, little room is left for envy. There is more occasion for pity and sympathy, and inclination to aseach other.

ST

our first setting out in life, when yet unacquainted h the world and its snares, when every pleasure enchants h its smile, and every shines with the gloss

→ novelty; let us beware of the seducing appearances which surround us; and recollect what others have suffered frou the power of headstrong desire. If we allow any passion even though it be esteemed innocent, to acquire an absolut ascendant, our inward peace will be impaired. But if an which has the taint of guilt, take early possession of on mind, we may date, from that moment, the ruin of our tran quillity.

E

1

1

Every man has some darling passion, which generall affords the first introduction to vice. The irregular gra ifications into which it occasionally seduces him, appear un der the form of venial weaknesses; and are indulged, in the beginning, with scrupulousness and reserve. But, by longe practice, these restraints weaken, and the power of habi grows. One vice brings in another to its aid. By a sort of nat ural affinity they connect and entwine themselves together; til their roots come to be spread wide and deep over all the sou

SECTION X.

WHENCE arises the misery of this present world? It not owing to our cloudy atmosphere, our changing season and inclement skies. It is not owing to the debility of ow bodies, or to the unequal distribution of the goods of fortune Amidst ail disadvantages of this kind, a pure, a stedfast an enlightened mind, possessed of strong virtue, could enjoyi self in peace, and smile at the impotent assaults of fortun and the elements. It is within ourselves that misery ha fixed its seat. Our disordered hearts, our guilty passion our violent prejudices, and misplaced desires, are the in struments of the trouble which we endure. These sharpe the darts which adversity would otherwise point in va against us.

While the vain and the licentious are revelling in t midst of extravagance and riot, how little do they think those scenes of sore distress, which are passing at that mo ment throughout the world! multitudes struggling for ✓ poor subsistence, to support the wife and the children who they love, and who look up to them with eager eyes for tha bread which they can hardly procure; multitudes groanin under sickness in desolate cottages, untended and unmour ed; many apparently in a better situation of life, pinin away in secret with concealed griefs; families weeping or the beloved friends whom they have lost, or in all the ness of anguish, bidding those who are just expiring th adieu.