we are not left to fo hard a fate. The Son of God hath defcended from heaven, to be the Light of the world. He hath removed that veil which covered true blifs from the fearch of wandering mortals, and hath taught them the way which leads to life. Worldly enjoyments are fhewn to be hollow and deceitful, with an exprefs intention to direct their affections towards thofe which are fpiritual. The fame discoveries which diminish the value of the one, ferve to increase that of the other. Finally,

VI. LET our ignorance of what is good or evil here below, lead our thoughts and defires to a better world. I have endeavoured to vindicate the wisdom of Providence, by fhewing the many useful purposes which this ignorance at prefent promotes. It ferves to check prefumption and rafhnefs and to enforce a diligent exertion of our rational powers, joined with an humble dependence on Divine aid. It moderates eager paffions refpecting worldly fuccefs. It inculcates refignation to the difpofal of a Providence which is much wifer than man. It reftrains us from employing unlawful means, in order to compafs our moft favourite defigns. It tends to attach us more closely to thofe things which are unquestionably good. It is therefore fuch a degree of ignorance as fuits the prefent circumstances of man better than more complete information concerning good and

evil.

At the fame time, the caufes which render this ob-fcurity neceffary, too plainly indicate a broken and corrupted ftate of human nature. They fhew this life to be a state of trial. They fuggeft the ideas of Low a land of pilgrimage, not of the house of rest. minded and base is he, who afpires to no higher

G-5

portion

portion; who could be fatisfied to spend his whole exiftence, in chafing thofe treacherous appearances of good, which fo often mock his purfuit. What fhadow can be more vain than the life of the greatest part of mankind? Of all that eager and bustling crowd which we behold on the earth, how few difcover the path of true happiness? How few can we find, whofe activity has not been mifemployed, and whofe courfe terminates not in confeffions of disappointments? Is this the flate, are these the habitations, to which a rational fpirit, with all its high hopes, and great capacities, is to be limited for ever? -Let us blefs that God who hath fet nobler profpects before us; who, by the death and refurrection of his fon Jefus Chrift, hath begotten us to the lively hope of an inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth not away, referved in the heavens. Let us fhow ourselves worthy of fuch a hope, by fetting our affections upon the things above, not upon things on the earth. Let us walk by faith and not by fight; and,. amidit the obfcurity of this faint and dubious twilight, confole ourselves with the expectation of a brighter day which is foon to open. This earth is the land of fhadows. But we hope to pafs into the world of realities; where the proper objects of human defire shall be displayed; where the substance of that blifs fhall be found, whofe image only we now purfue; where no fallacious hopes fhall any longer allure, no fmiling appearance fhall betray, no infidious. joys fhall fting; but where truth fhall be infeparably united with pleasure; and the mifts which hang over this preliminary ftate being diffipated, the perfect knowledge of good fhall lead to the full enjoyment. of it for ever.

SER

Commune with your own heart, upon your bed, and be fill.

M

UCH communing with themfelves there has always been among mankind; though frequently, God knows, to no purpose, or to a purpose worfe than none. Could we difcover the employments of men, in retirement, how often should we find their thoughts occupied with fubjects, which they would be ashamed to own? What a large share have ambition and avarice, at fome times the groffeft paffions, and at other times the meaneft trifles, in their folitary mufings? They carry the world, with all its vices, into their retreat; and may be faid to dwell in the midst of the world, even when they feem to be alone.

This furely is not that fort of communing which the Pfalmift recommends. For this is not properly communing with our heart, but rather holding fecret intercourse with the world. What the Pfalmift means to recommend, is religious recollection; that exercife of thought which is connected with the precept given in the preceding words, to fand in awe, and fin not. It is to commune with ourfelves, under the character

character of fpiritual and immortal beings, and to ponder thofe paths of our feet, which are leading us to eternity. I fhall in the first place, fhow the advan• tages of fuch ferious retirement and meditation: and fhall, in the fecond place, point out fome of the principal fubjects which ought to employ us in our re

treat.

The advantages of retiring from the world, to commune with our heart, will be found to be great, whether we regard our happiness in this world, or our preparation for the world to come.

LET us confider them, firft, with refpect to our happiness in this world. It will readily occur to you, that an entire retreat from worldly affairs, is not what religion requires; nor does it even enjoin a great retreat from them. Some stations of life would not permit this; and there are few stations which render it neceffary. The chief field, both of the duty and of the improvement of man, lies in active life. By the graces and virtues which he exercises amidst his fellow-creatures, he is trained up for heaven. A total retreat from the world, is fo far from being, as the Roman Catholic Church holds, the perfection of religion, that, fome particular cafes excepted, it is no other than the abuse of it.

But though entire retreat would lay us afide from the part for which Providence chiefly intended us, it is certain, that without occafional retreat, we must act that part very ill. There will be neither confiftency in the conduct, nor dignity in the character, of one who fets apart no share of his time for meditation and reflection. In the heat and bustle of life, while paffion is every moment throwing falfe colours on the objects around us, nothing can be viewed in a juft

light.

light. If you wish that reafon fhould exert her native power, you must step aside from the crowd, into the cool and filent fhade. It is there that, with fober and steady eye, she examines what is good or ill, what is wife or foolish, in human conduct; fhe looks back on the past, she looks forward to the future; and forms plans, not for the prefent moment only, but for the whole of life. How should that man difcharge any part of his duty aright, who never fuffers his paffions to cool? And how fhould his paffions cool, who is engaged without interruption, in the tumult of the world? This inceffant ftir may be called, the perpetual drunkenness of life. It raises that eager fermentation of spirit, which will be ever fending forth the dangerous fumes of rashness and folly. Whereas he who mingles religious retreat with worldly affairs, remains calm and mafter of himself. He is not whirled round and rendered giddy, by the agitation of the world; but, from that facred retirement, in which he has been converfant among higher objects, comes forth into the world with manly tranquillity, fortified by principles which he has formed, and prepared for whatever may befall.

As he who is unacquainted with retreat, cannot sustain any character with propriety, fo neither can he enjoy the world with any advantage. Of the two claffes of men who are most apt to be negligent of this duty, the men of pleasure, and the men of bufinefs, it is hard to fay which suffer most, in point of enjoyment, from that neglect. To the former every moment appears to be loft, which partakes not of the vivacity of amufement. To connect one plan of gaiety with another, is their fole ftudy; till, in a very short time, nothing remain but to tread the fame

beaten