should complain? The following truths will convince you of your error:

The good arising from many of those arrangements which we deem evil, and which are but partial, always exceed the latter. When we cast our eyes upon a person who is so unfortunate as to be deformed, or deprived of an eye, a limb, &c. we, who are more happy in this respect, become deeply sensible of the advantages we enjoy, and duly appreciate their worth. How valuable does an eye become, a joint, a limb, &c. when we look upon those who are deprived of these blessings! Would you exchange one of these for the greatest treasure that could be bestowed upon you? Is not your body more beautiful, more regular than the most superb building, the most ingeniously contrived piece of mechanism? And yet, however inferior the latter may be to the former, we are far from attributing its production to chance.

"But why is it that the countries of the earth are so different?- -some cold, some hot, damp, low, or elevated?" Couldst thou, O man! (if thou hadst the power) form a globe in which every thing should conduce more to man's advantage than this which we inhabit? It is from the variety of the surface of the globe that different winds and exhalations arise, from the wholesome effects of which man enjoys in his native climate the means of health and happi

ness.

"It is, however, undeniable that the changes of weather are not advantageous to every man, neither to every climate." Has not the pre

ceding' weather influenced the following, as the temperature of one country often influences another? Are we capable of judging what would constitute the good of the whole from our imperfect views and conceptions of the different parts which form that whole? Would it be just that the agricultural part of society should suffer from drought because dry weather would suit one industrious housewife? Certain winds may produce a partial barrenness; but they also prevent the corruption of the air by stagnation. Must the east wind, which is so beneficial to some countries, cease to blow, lest a few vessels should be wrecked, or a few invalids suffer from its effects?

"Why are there so many destructive and hurtful animals?" Is it possible that we could wish there should be no rapacious animals upon the earth? Were it not for them, we should be overrun by those which we call domestic: besides, if there were no beasts of prey, another evil would arise the bodies of those animals which died from natural causes, such as length of life, disease, accident, &c. would become putrid, and infect the air.

Every year, those animals which fall a prey to others multiply in proportion: if the race of flies were not food for birds and other insects, fishes, &c. they would themselves perish for want of sustenance.

"But why has the Creator fixed the laws of nature by rules so invariable?" It is precisely from this very circumstance that man, assisted by labour and guided by experience, can properly

apply his strength and his intelligence, and become, as it were, the artist of his own well being. Would you, O Christian! wish to inhabit a world in which, if you were hungry, you had only to express the wish to be gratified?-Or that clothes should fall from the clouds to cover you, when you were so improvident as to commence a journey on a cold night without the usual precautions against its effects?-Or that you could traverse earth, sea, and sky, without further trouble than merely to express the inciination? Wouldst thou, in short, wish to inhabit a world in which no activity would be required -in which, good and evil being equally unknown, there could be no incentive to our attentive observation of the laws of nature?

There will ever be a number of things in nature, the end of which and their relative connexions must always be concealed from us: many will appear to our limited understandings as contradictory, and but ill agreeing with the wise plans of the Deity; but let us check our presumptuous suppositions, and exclaim, with the apostle Paul, "O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments! and his ways past finding out! For who hath known the

mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor? For of him and through him and to him are all things; to whom be glory for ever. Amen."

MAY 28.

THE SINS WE ARE MOST LIKELY TO COMMIT IN THE SPRING.

Is it possible, O Christian! that you should profane by sin this season, which is calculated to excite you to the practice of piety? Would it not be natural to presume, on the contrary, that every verdant meadow, every waving grove should become a temple from which should arise the incense of your ardent prayers, your grateful thanks for all the beauties that surround you? that every thought, every sentiment, every action should tend to the glory of thy Creator? But, alas! we are daily witnesses of man's ingratitude: he sees with vacant mind all nature spring to life; he beholds the enameled mead, the flowery heath; nor does he cast one thought on the Author of all these wonders. Ingratitude is, then, the vice most conspicuous at this season: man is the only animal upon earth that is insensible to his happiness, although he alone is endowed with the faculty of duly appreciating it. Listen, then, ye insensible and ungrateful beings; for it is to you I address myself: yet why should I expect that you will listen to me, since you are inattentive to the voice of God, speaking at this season of the year with the voice of nature? But is it really possible that you should mistake, that you should be deceived respecting your Creator? All his works reveal him; and you can neither

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know yourselves nor the world in which you live, if you know not God. Every living creature proclaims his Author: every place is filled with his divinity: he is manifest in every blade of grass, in every flower that blows, in every bird that sings: He addresses himself to your hearts in the sweetest tones of nature to our senses, our reason, our consciences, our faculties. We have only to attend to this powerful language to be grateful.

And how do we employ the days of spring? It is proper that we should quit our chambers, and inhale the vernal breezes-that we should visit the fields and gardens, and behold the beauties of the season; but let us beware of pursuing this innocent and laudable recreation to any excess: we shall, indeed, only have properly enjoyed the sweets of spring when we have, by fixing our eyes upon the works of the Creator, discovered and acknowledged in them the traces of a divine goodness: then will our hearts enjoy pleasures of the first order. Why should we seek those pleasures which offend God and wound our consciences, when we can here find those which are pure and unalloyed, and for the procuring of which our senses, our reason, and sensitive hearts have been bestowed upon us?

My reflections turn involuntarily to those persons who, during this season of the year, yield to anxiety and apprehensions, lest they should not find means of subsistence. 0 ye little faith! you deserved some little indulgence in the winter, when, oppressed by divers wants,

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