at the awful hour of death, that eternal death shall be all the wages of his service! The man of gray hairs, who is half-dead to this world, and the infant of a span long, who knows nothing of a world to comě, must go together to the silent grave.

Would he not be an arrant fool, who, though warned away from his farm, and from his house, should let the period expire, without providing himself in another, and thus be cast out into the open fields at last? Such examples are rare, but instances of a more consummate folly are fearfully abundant, while numbers, who know that they must very soon drop this mortal frame, and quit with all below, give themselves no concern, and take no thought how or where they shall dwell through an endless eternity.

Though a time of removal be expected, and provided for too, yet when it comes there is always some unexpected hurry and confusion along with it. Just so, though we expect death ourselves, or on some of our family, yet we may expect to be surprised at last, and taken at unawares; therefore it will be our wisdom not to delay the great work of making our calling and election sure, till sickness enfeeble every nerve, and death sit down on our eye-lids.

The poor farmer, who tugs and sweats to gather his master's rent, thinks such gentlemen are the only happy persons on the face of the earth; not considering that many men of fortune find it difficult to keep their incomes and expenses on an equal balance; that others are still more extravagant than opulent; and that a third sort, the worst of all, spend their estates to ruin their souls. It is rare to find in the world those that can use it, and not abuse themselves or it ;

therefore a golden mediocrity has been the wish of all wise men in all ages.

At this time some monied men have it in their power by helping a poor friend, or an indigent neighbour to win a blessing to themselves, and lose nothing at the latter end. What blessings, then, should an elect world ascribe to Jesus, that best, that none-such friend, who for them answers all the demands of law and justice, and has got their full, their final discharge at the court of heaven, from his Almighty Father's hand, so that they have no claims, no condemnation to fear, either in this world, or in that to come!

Lastly, when those who had to remove are snugly accommodated in their new houses; when masters have got home their servants, and servants got to their places; when debtors have cleared with their creditors, and farmers got their landlord's discharge; then what a sweet calm, serenity, and joy succeed to the late tumult of thought and whirlwind of anxiety! Even so, when the saints arrive at the mansions of glory, are acquitted by the Judge of all the earth, and finally discharged from sin and death, then shall they forget their afflictions as the waters that flow away, then joy shall crown their heads, and songs shall fill their mouth, and they shall be satisfied with their own felicity, exult in his salvation, and be ravish-ed with his goodness for ever.

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MEDITATION CXXVIII.

AGAINST MURMURING AT MISFORTUNES.

May 4, 1776.

IF Providence is pleased to crush my comforts of

any kind, shall I make my situation less comfortable by complaining! If God chastises me as a son, shall I make myself an enemy, by rebelling against the discipline of my Father's house? If heaven sends affliction on me, shall I make the sad addition of sin to my sorrow, by quarrelling at my sufferings? If I am not so happy as I would choose to be, I should still study to be holy, humble, and content, and I shall never be very miserable. It is only in the things of time that I am disappointed; and what else can I expect, where infinite wisdom has pronounced all to be vanity and vexation of spirit? He that lets God go for the creature, may well expect storms and tempests to blow around him. He that promises to himself happiness in any thing under the sun, shall every day of his life have one lesson or other to rectify his mistake. He that seeks not God in all things, and prefers not God above all things, and is not satisfied with God in the room of all things, may expect vexation in every thing, and shall be happy in nothing. To fathers of our flesh we have given obedience, even when their own pleasure was the rule of their conduct; and shall we be less submissive to the Father of our spirits, when our profit is always in his heavenly plan? In our choice of good things, in our requests for blessings, we may be mistaken, but in his bounty he cannot err, whether he gives much or little, this or that

any thing or nothing. Surely, I can never think or say that my wisdom could have made the world, or myself; how, then, can I think that my wisdom could rule the world or myself? That cannot be called a misfortune that makes me wiser, or a cross that makes me better, or a loss that makes me richer in heaven, or a disappointment which makes me quit with every creature, and cleave to God alone. If a burden is tied on my back, which I must carry to such a place, the more I fling it from me, it falls down with the greater weight, and, instead of getting free of it, it becomes a greater burden still; but, if I go on calmly, my burden grows gradually lighter, by my patience and submission, till I get quit of it at last altogether.

Not stupid, but submissive, not dejected, but resigned, not combating the means, nor quarrelling the instrument, but confessing the first cause, and adoring the sovereignty of heaven, is my present duty, and will be my peace both now and in time to come. There is not an angel of God, nor a saint in glory, but approves of the whole conduct of Providence; and therefore, though so imperfect in comparison of angels and glorified saints, yet, through grace, I would wish to say, "Thy will be done on earth as it is. in heaven;" and, to all that thou hast done, art deing, and wilt do concerning me, "Amen."

MEDITATION CXXIX.

A CAVEAT AGAINST EXCESS OF JOY IN PROSPECT OF ANY CREATED GOOD.

July 24, 1776.

SUCH is the corruption of human nature, even in

the best, that while we receive the good things of this life, we forget the Giver, and idolize the gift. On the one hand, we are to think highly of every blessing, who deserve to have our very blessings cursed; and we ought to receive with humble gratitude, every favour, who have forfeited all; but, on the other hand, we are always to bear in our mind these few following reflections, which will help us to rejoice with moderation.

1. Created good is always greater in the prospect than in the possession; while the heavenly bliss, like Solomon's glory and wisdom, appears still the greater the nearer it is approached.

2. No worldly felicity can enrich the soul; and many a time the happiest men, with respect to the world, have the greatest leanness in their soul, and, as their outward man flourishes, their inward man decays,

3. Nothing that we receive in the world can keep us a moment longer in it; but many things which we may possess, as riches and relations, make us both unwilling and unfit to leave the world.

4. There is always a want in the most perfect, and a thorn in the most pleasant, of earthly enjoyments.. 5. Have we a good name? Lying tongues may ruin

Haye we riches? These, however well secured