when some of Colonel Gardiner's dissolute companions were congratulating him on his happiness in licentious dissipation, a dog happened to come into the room, and he could not forbear groaning inwardly; and saying to himself, "O that I were that dog!" Such was his happiness, and such is, doubtless, that of thousands more. Early piety would give you the best pleasures. Through the knowledge of Jesus, you would have peace; peace within. Conscience, that else must be a troublesome monitor, would become a delightful friend; while the Holy Spirit would witness with your spirit, that you were a child of God.12 Peace with God is another source of true delight, and this too would be yours; you might look upon the Most High as a tender Father and beloved friend, while to the careless sinner he is a dreadful foe. Sect. 4. Early piety would open to you another fountain of real pleasure, by forming your heart for the enjoyment of delights, far, far superior to those of sense. In communion with God, in meditation on divine promises and love, the christian has those pleasures which he would not exchange for all the pleasures of the world. Even his tears of penitential grief afford him. more sincere delight than they find in all their noisy mirth. The public, as well as the private services of religion, also yield true delight to those who, partaking of renewing grace, are capable of relishing the sacred pleasure. Hear how one who knew these pleasures could express his feelings: How amiable are thy tabernacles, O Lord of Hosts! My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God. Blessed are they that dwell in thy house; they will be still praising thee-for a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a door-keeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness. O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is; to see thy power and thy glory so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary. Because thy loving kindness is better than 12Rom. viii. 16. life, my lips shall praise thee. Thus will I bless theewhile I live; I will lift up my hands in thy name; my soul shall be satisfied, as with marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips; when I remember thee upon my bed, and medi tate on thee in the night watches.* Sect. 5. In various other respects, the ways of wisdom are ways of pleasantness. Is it pleasing to think of dangers escaped? early religion would give you this satisfaction. You might, with wonder and delight, reflect that God had snatched you from perdition—and that, though once an heir of wrath, the danger were over, and you an heir of heaven. Is it pleasant to think of treasures obtained, and friends possessed? this pleasure would be yours. You might read the long catalogue of the christian's blessings, and say of each, "This is mine-this promise is made to me. You might look upwards to the abodes of bliss, and exclaim, "There dwells the ever blessed Jehovah, and he is my God; there is the adored Immanuel, and he is my Saviour; those bright abodes, which lie far beyond the reach of mortal sight, are my future home; the stars that adorn that spangled firmament, "Are glittering dust beneath the feet "God gives In health and prosperity, you might say, me much here, but how much more have I hereafter; how much better are my treasures there!" Or in poverty, sickness, and pain, you might smile and say, “My all is not laid here." Sweet is it for a seaman that has escaped the storm, fixed on a rock, to smile on the waves that are beating beneath-but, O, it is far more sweet to smile at all the terrors of time, as vanquished enemies and baffled foes! Who should be so happy as they who have a humble confidence that eternal happiness is theirs? Who should enjoy such peace as they who can look at death without fear, and view it as the path that leads their souls to God-to Jesus to heaven-to glory, endless as that of their Creator-and to happiness more real than sorrows are below? Who *Psalm lxxxiv. i. 2. 4. 10. lxiii. 1. 6. should possess such solid comforts as they who can turn their eyes to the grave, and dread not the prospect of lying there; who can raise their thoughts to the starry heavens, and rapturously consider that they shall outlive those glorious fires, and shine, adorned with brighter glories, when stars and sun shall shine ne more? Who should be so happy as they who can contemplate, without dread, that solemn period when the world shall burn, the trumpet sound, the Judge descend, the dead awake, and happiness or misery inexpressible, unchangeable, and eternal, become the lot of every human being? Go and look into an open grave, try to fancy it opened for you, and see whether you can imagine this with peace and composure. If you cannot, learn that all your delights do not make you happy, for into the dreaded grave you must ere long descend; and thousands, possessed of the blessings of humble piety, have trodden that gloomy path with satisfaction, and desired to depart, and be with Christ. Is it pleasant thus to look forward with sweet anticipation to future scenes of happiness? This source of pleasure would become yours, if a possessor of early piety. Is it pleasant to have a friend ready to welcome us when a long journey is ended? Jesus is the young christian's friend; he waits on the distant shore of heav en. In their passage through the river of death, he will uphold his humble friends, and welcome them to glory on their arrival there. The christian, too, indulges the pleasing hope of re-union there, with the pious friends he has loved below. He can contemplate the happy bands above--Patriarchs and Prophets, Apostles and Martyrs, and numbers to the world unknown, who have loved the Lord, and won the promised crown; and among them he, perhaps, enumerates some once dear, still dear to himself, who have finished their pilgrimage, and whom he hopes to meet again, when he shall finish his. O, happy meeting! O, blissful prospect! Would not you possess it? and when you reach the close of life, do not you desire the pleasures of panting for the skies; the pleasures of being able to appeal to the Lord, that you have humbly loved him! Do you not wish to say at last, "Gracious Redeemer, on thee I rest my hopes; my best obedience has been too imperfect--my most faithful duties stained with too. much imperfection-my love too cold--my thankfulness too weak; yet I expect eternal life, for it was purchased for me by thy blood. I look to heaven; it was secured for me by thy merits, thy sufferings, and thy death. Gracious Lord, thine be the honour while the infinite advantage is mine. It yields me pleasure now, to know that thou seest that I love thee, and have loved thee from my early days. Thou hast seen me truly thine, imperfect as I am; and though I have often offended thee, yet I bless thy name, that I have been kept from dishonouring thee, by those numerous and dark crimes, which I should have committed if I had not remembered thee betimes. Though I have not done my duty, and am an unprofitable servant, yet I know thou wilt not forget the little services of my youth, and those of my riper years; but I look forward with joyful hope, to the time when I shall see thee as thou art! and though my time is almost finished, yet I rejoice in the sweet prospect of passing eternity in thy presence; and there will I cast at thy feet, that crown which I have in expectation, and which was bought with thy blood?" Sect. 6. True piety is pleasant, for it is a source of pleasure, even in the midst of pain. Man is born to sorrow as the sparks fly upward; and though many young persons seem to suppose that that world which has been a storm to others, shall be a calm to them, yet experience soon removes the delusion. No situation on earth can give perfect peace. Even the most peaceful and happiest dwellings, where love and harmony ever abide, cannot supply that blessing, for into them pain has its avenue, and death its entrance; death, that dissolves the fondest ties, and takes away the life that is dearer than our own. But no affliction can befal the true christian, under which his Redeemer will not give him suitable support and consolation. Some time back, a gentleman, well known in the religious world, was invited to visit an indigent man deeply afflicted; and gave the following account of what he witnessed: On entering the cottage, I found him alone, his wife having gone to procure him milk from a kind neighbour. I was startled at the sight of a pale, emaciated man, a living image of death, fastened upright in a chair, by a rude mechanism of cords and belts, hanging from the ceiling. He was totally unable to move either hand or foot, having more than four years been entirely deprived of the use of his limbs, yet the whole time suffering extreme anguish from swellings at all his joints. As soon as I had recovered a little from my surprise at seeing so pitiable an object, I asked, "Are you left alone, my friend, in this deplorable situation?" No, sir," replied he, in a touchingly feeble tone of mild resignation, (nothing but his lips and his eyes moving while he spake,) "I am not alone, for God is with me." I asked him if he ever felt tempted to repine under the pressure of so long-continued and heavy a calamity? "Not for the last 66 three years," " said he, 66 blessed be God for it!" the eye of faith sparkling, and giving life to his pallid countenance, while he made the declaration; "for I have learned from this book in whom to believe: and though I am aware of my weakness and unworthiness, I am persuaded that he will not leave me, nor forsake me. And so it is that when my lips are closed with locked jaw, and I cannot speak to the glory of God, he enables me to sing his praises in my heart." Sect. 7. My young friend, are not such hopes, such prospects as have been mentioned, sources of real pleasure? If you are a follower of the world, what is there in all your vain delights that can bear any comparison with that holy peace, that pure delight, which flows from the love of God, and a hope full of immortality! If you, yourself, perceive no charms in these pleasures, ask those who have tried them, what support and delight they yield even in the last awful hours of life. Goto the sick bed of the humble believer, say, "Poor sufferer, can you find comfort in the midst of anguish ?” "Yes," says one, "I have pain, but I have peace, I have peace. ""* 66 What, can you contemplate death itself, with comfort?" "Yes," replies another, "I bless God, I can lie down with comfort at night, not being solicitous whether I awake in this world or another." But they who made these declarations had reached advanced life. Go, then, to the sick-bed of the dy |