' we are come to; it will soon be the same with you it was our tura yesterday, it will be yours to-day. "We once had our parts to act upon "the stage of the world; we once ' were young, strong and healthy,

as you now are, and thought as "little as you of what we are now (6 come to like you, we set our "hearts upon trifles and toys, which (6 we could but enjoy for a moment; "and for these we neglected eterni.. ty. Senseless wretches as we were, t we chose to be slaves to a cheating "world, to inconstant perishable crea

tures, which abandoned us so soon "rather than serve that Lord and "Master to whom nothing dies; and "who neither in life or death ever "forsakes those who forsake not him O! Christians, let us take this warning; let the miscarriages of so many others teach us wisdom; let us not set our hearts on this miserable world, nor look upon any thing as truly great, but what is eternal.

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On the Happiness of serving God.

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Onsider, first, those words of the prophet Isaiah, Say to the just it is well, Isai. iii, and reflect on the manifold advantages which this short word well comprises and ensures to the just, both for time and eternity. Honour, riches, and pleasure, are the things on which the world sets the greatest value: but they are not to be found where the world seeks them, but only in the service of God. Can any honour upon earth be comparable to that of being a servant friend, an adopted son of the great King of heaven? Such a soul is far more dignified in the eyes of God and his angels, than the greatest emperor in the universe. She is a child of the eternal Father, a spouse of the eternal Son, a temple of the eternal Spirit; heiress of the kingdom of heaven, and sister and companion to the angels. O! my soul, let such honours as these be the only object of thy ambition.

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Consider, secondly, that the truest riches are to be found in the service of God; not indeed always those worldly

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possessions, which are attended with so many cares and fears, and daily exposed to so many accidents, and which are not capable of satisfying the heart; but the inestimable treasure of the grace of God, which is the seed of everJasting glory; the gifts of the Holy Ghost; the love of God; in a word, God himself, whom the world can. not take from the soul, unless she be so miserably blind as to force him away by mortal sin. Add to this, the fatherly providence of God, whose eyes are continually fixed upon the just, to watch over their welfare: that his angels always encamp about them to guard them by night and by day, Psalm xxxiii. 8. That as he formerly said to Abraham, Gen xv. He himself is their protector, and their reward exceeding great. He is their friend, the best of friends; the shepherd of their souls who leads them out to his admirable pastures, to the fountain of living water. His tenderness towards them is beyond that of a fa• ther, nay, beyond that of the tenderest mother, Isaiah xlix. 15, 16. În a word, God is all things to those

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that fear him. O! my soul, seek no other treasure than him. Fear nothing but the losing him. If thou hast him, nothing can make thee miserable ; but, without him, nothing can make thee happy

Consider, thirdly, the pleasure that attends a virtuous life; the satisfaction, peace, and joy of a good conscience, which by the wise man is compared to a continual banquet; the consolations of the Holy Ghost; the comfortable expectation of a happy eternity after our exit out of this vale of tears; a holy tonfidence in the protection and providence of God, and a perfect con formity in all things to his blessed will. From these fountains flow such delights, as cannot be conceived by worldlings who have no experience of them: pleasures pure and spiritual, which sweeten all the crosses of life, are an unspeakable comfort in death, and carry with them a certain fore taste of the immortal joys of heaven. Whereas all worldly pleasures, like the world itself, are false and delusive, always besprinkled with bitterness, attended by uneasiness, follow

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wed with remorse, and at last terminate in eternal sorrow. --Consider, fourthly, the saying of our Saviour, one thing is necessary, Luke x. 42. And what is that one thing, O my soul, which alone can make thee happy, both here and hereafter? It is to serve thy God; and to provide in earnest for eternity. As time, compared to eternity, is less than nothing; so are all temporal concerns, if compared with the concerns of eternity. This in reality is thy only business if thou art careful of this all is well; but if thou neglect this, all is lost, and lost for ever. As for all other things of which thou mayest stand in need in this life, give ear again to the same Saviour, Matt, vi. 33. Seek first the kingdom of God and his justice, and all these things shall be given you over and above. Conclude then my soul, since both thy temporal and eternal welfare depends on serving God, to make this for the future thy only care. Thus only shalt thou meet true comfort here; thus only shalt thou come to never-ending happiness.