pofitaries, and are to render account at the laft. That portion of it which he has allotted us, is intended partly for the concerns of this world, partly for those of the next. Let each of these occupy, in the diftribution of our time, that space which properly belongs to it. Let not the hours of hofpitality and pleasure interfere with the discharge of our necessary affairs; and let not what we call necessary affairs, encroach upon the time which is due to devotion. To every thing there is a season, and a time for every purpose under the heaven. If we delay till to-morrow what ought to be done today, we overcharge the morrow with a burden which belongs not to it. We load the wheels of time, and prevent them from carrying us along smoothly. He who every morning plans the transactions of the day, and follows out that plan, carries on a thread which will guide him through the labyrinth of the most busy life. The orderly arrangement of his time is like a ray of light, which darts itfelf through all his affairs. But, where no plan is laid, where the difpofal of time is furrendered merely to the chance of incidents, all things lie huddled together in one chaos, which admits neither of diftribution nor review.

The first requifite for introducing order into the management of time, is to be imprefsed with a juft fense of its value. Let us confider well how much depends upon it, and how fast it flies away. The bulk of men are in nothing more capricious and inconfiftent, than in their appreciation of time. When they think of it, as the measure of their continuance on earth, they highly prize it, and with the greatest anxiety seek to lengthen it out. But when they view it in feparate parcels, they appear to hold it in contempt, and fquan

der it with inconfiderate profufion. While they complain that life is fhort, they are often wifhing its different periods at an end. Covetous of every other possession, of time only they are prodigal. They allow every idle man to be master of this property, and make every frivolous occupation welcome that can help them to confume it. Among those who are so careless of time, it is not to be expected that order fhould be obferved in its diftribution. But, by this fatal neglect, how many materials of fevere and lafting regret are they laying up in ftore for themselves! The time

which they suffer to pass away in the midst of confufion, bitter repentance feeks afterwards in vain to recall. What was omitted to be done at its proper moment, arifes to be the torment of fome future feafon. Manhood is difgraced by the confequences of neglected youth. Old age, opprefsed by cares that belonged to a former period, labours under a burden not its own. At the clofe of life, the dying man beholds with anguish that his days are finishing, when his preparation for eternity is hardly commenced. Such are the effects of a diforderly wafte of time, through not attending to its value. Every thing in the life of fuch perfons is mifplaced. Nothing is performed aright, from not being performed in due feafon.

But he who is orderly in the distribution of his time, takes the proper method of efcaping thofe manifold evils. He is juftly faid to redeem the time. By proper management, he prolongs it. He lives much in little space; more in a few years than others do in many. He can live to God and his own foul, and at the fame time attend to all the lawful interefts of the prefent world. He looks back on the paft, and pro

vides for the future. He catches and arrefts the hours as they fly. They are marked down for ufeful purposes, and their memory remains. Whereas thofe hours fleet by the man of confufion like a fhadow. His days and years are either blanks of which he has no remembrance, or they are filled up with fuch a confufed and irregular fuccefsion of unfinished tranfactions, that though he remembers he has been bufy, yet he can give no account of the bufinefs which has employed him.

BLAIR.

SECTION IX.

The Dignity of Virtue amidst corrupt Examples.

THE most excellent and honourable character which can adorn a man and a Chriftian, is acquired by refifting the torrent of vice, and adhering to the cause of God and virtue against a corrupted multitude. It will be found to hold in general, that all thofe, who, in any of the great lines of life, have diftinguifhed themfelves for thinking profoundly, and acting nobly, have defpifed popular prejudices; and departed, in feveral things, from the common ways of the world. On no occafion is this more requifite for true honour, than where religion and morality are concerned. In times of prevailing licentioufnefs, to maintain unblemished virtue, and uncorrupted integrity; in a public or a private caufe, to ftand firm by what is fair and just, amidst difcouragements and oppofition; defpifing groundlefs cenfure and reproach; difdaining all compliance with public manners, when they are vicious and unlawful; and never afhamed of the punctual

difcharge of every duty towards God and man;-this is what fhows true greatness of spirit, and will force approbation even from the degenerate multitude themfelves. "This is the man," (their confcience will oblige them to acknowledge,) "whom we are unable to bend to mean condefcenfions. We fee it in vain either to flatter or to threaten him; he rests on a principle within, which we cannot fake. To this man we may, on any occafion, fafely commit our cause. He is incapable of betraying his trust, or deserting his friend, or denying his faith."

It is, accordingly, this steady inflexible virtue, this regard to principle, fuperior to all cuftom and opinion, which peculiarly marked the characters of those in any age, who have fhone with distinguished luftre ; and has confecrated their memory to all pofterity. It was this that obtained to ancient Enoch the most fingular teftimony of honour from heaven. He continued to "walk with God," when the world apoftatifed from him. He pleafed God, and was beloved of him; fo that living among finners, he was tranflated to heaven without feeing death; "Yea, fpeedily was he taken away, left wickednefs fhould have altered his underftanding, or deceit beguiled his foul." When Sodom could not furnish ten righteous men to fave it, Lot remained unspotted amidst the contagion. He lived like an angel among spirits of darkness; and the destroying flame was not permitted to go forth, till the good man was called away by a heavenly messenger from his devoted city. When "all flesh had corrupted their way upon the earth," then lived Noah, a righteous man, and a preacher of righteoufnefs. He ftood alone, and was fcoffed by the profane crew. But they by

the deluge were fwept away; while on him, Providence conferred the immortal honour, of being the restorer of a better race, and the father of a new world. Such examples as thefe, and fuch honours conferred by God on them who withstood the multitude of evil doers, fhould often be prefent to our minds. Let us oppose them to the numbers of low and corrupt examples, which we behold around us; and when we are in hazard of being fwayed by fuch, let us fortify our virtue, by thinking of thofe who, in former times, fhone like ftars in the midft of furrounding darkness, and are now shining in the kingdom of heaven, as the brightness of the firmament, for ever and ever.

BLAIR.

SECTION X.

The Mortifications of Vice greater than thofe of Virtue.

THOUGH NO condition of human life is free from uneafinefs, yet it must be allowed, that the uneafinefs belonging to a finful courfe, is far greater, than what attends a course of well-doing. If we are weary of the labours of virtue, we may be afsured, that the world, whenever we try the exchange, will lay upon us a much heavier load. It is the outside, only, of a licentious life, which is gay and fmiling. Within, it conceals toil, and trouble, and deadly forrow. For vice poifons human happinefs in the fpring, by introducing diforder into the heart. Thofe pafsions which it seems to indulge, it only feeds with imperfect gratifications; and thereby ftrengthens them for preying, in the end, on their unhappy victims.