ce

❝tive to every inferior Intereft, but have "difregarded Heaven, have forgot eternal Ages !" May the Children of this World be warned by the dying Words of an unhappy Brother, and gather Advantage from his Misfortune. Why fhould they pant with impatient Ardor after White and Yellow Earth, as if the Universe did not afford fufficient for every one to take a little? Why should they lade themselves with thick Clay, when they are to "run for an incorruptible "Crown, and prefs towards the Prize of their "high Calling?" Why fhould they over-load the Veffel, in which their everlasting All is embarked; or fill their Arms with Superfluities, when they are to fwim for their Lives? Yet, fo prepofterous is the Conduct of those Persons, who are all Industry, to heap up an Abundance of the Wealth which perifheth; but are scarce fo much as faintly defirous of being rich towards GOD.

O! that we may walk from henceforth through all these glittering Toys, at leaft with a wife Indifference, if not with a fupe. rior Difdain! Having enough for the Conveniencies of Life, let us only accommodate ourfelves with Things below, and lay up

our

our Treasures in the Regions above. Whereas, if we indulge an anxious Concern, or lavish an inordinate Care, on any transitory Poffeffions, we fhall rivet them to our Affections with fo firm an Union, that the utmost Severity of Pain must attend the feparating Stroke. By fuch an eager Attachment to what will certainly be ravished from us, we shall only infure to ourfelves accumulated Anguish against the agonizing Hour: We fhall plant aforehand our dying Pillow with Thorns.

SOME, I perceive, arrived at Threescore Tears and ten, before they made their Exit; nay, fome few refigned not their Breath, till they had numbered Fourfcore revolving Harvefts. -Thefe, I would hope, "remember'd

..

their Creator in the Days of their Youth;"

before their Strength became Labour and Sor. row; before that low Ebb of languishing Na ture, when they had too much Reason to say, "We have neither Pleasure nor Vigour left." If their Lamps were unfurnished with Oil, how unfit must they be, in fuch decrepit Circumstances, to go to the Market, and buy? For, besides a Variety of Disorders arifing from the enfeebled

enfeebled Conftitution, their Corruptions must be surprisingly strengthened by such a long Course of Irreligion. Evil Habits must have ftruck the deepest Root, must have twisted themselves with every Fibre of the Heart; and be as thoroughly ingrained in the Dif pofition, as the Soot in the Ethiopian's Complexion, or the Spots in the Leopard's Skin. If fuch a one, under fuch Difadvantages, furmounts all the Difficulties that lie in his Way to Glory, it must be a great and mighty Salvation indeed. If fuch a one escapes Destruction, and is faved at the laft, it muft, without all peradventure, be fo as by Fire.

THIS is the Scafon that ftands in need of Comfort, and is very improper to enter upon the Conflict. The Husbandman should now be putting in his Sickle, or cating the Fruit of his Labours; not beginning to break up the Ground, or fcatter the Seed. — No-. thing, 'tis true, is impoffible with GOD: He faid, Let there be Light, and there was Light: Inftantaneous Light, diffused, as quick as Thought, through all the dismal Dominion of primeval Darkness. At his Com mand, a Leprofy of the longeft Continuance,

and

and utmoft Inveteracy, departs in a Moment. He can, in the Greatness of his Strength, quicken the Wretch, that has lain dead in Trefpaffes and Sins, not four Days only, but fourscore Tears. Yet truft not, O trust not, a Point of fuch inexpreffible Importance, to fo dreadful an Uncertainty. GOD may fufpend his Power; may withdraw his Help; may fwear in his Wrath, that such Abusers of his Long-suffering fhall "never enter into "his Reft."

Y E therefore, that are vigorous in Health, and blooming in Youth, improve the precious Opportunity. Improve your golden Hours to the nobleft of all Purposes. Stand not, all the Prime of your Day, idle; but make Hafte, and delay not the Time, to keep God's Commandments. While you are loitering in a gay Infenfibility, Death may be bending his Bow, and marking you out for speedy Victims.Not long ago I happened to 'spy a thoughtless Jay. The poor Bird was idly bufied in dreffing his pretty Plumes, or hopping carelefly from Spray to Spray. A Sportfman coming by, obferves the feather'd Rover, Immediately he lifts the Tube, and levels his Blow. Swifter than Whirlwind flies the

leaden

leaden Death; and, in a Moment, lays the filly Creature, breathlefs on the Ground.

Such, fuch, may be the Fate of the Man, that has a fair Occafion of obtaining Grace To-Day, and wantonly postpones the Improvement of it till To-Morrow.

He

may be cut off in the midft of his Folly, and ruined for ever, while He is dreaming of being wife hereafter.

SOME, no doubt, came to this their last Retreat, full of Piety, and full of Days;

as a Shock of Corn, ripe with Age, and "laden with Plenty, cometh in, in his Sea"fon." These were Children of Light, and wife in their Generation; wife towards GOD; wife for their most important Concerns; and wife for that blissful Eternity, they now inherit. Rich alfo they were, more honourably and permanently rich, than all the Votaries of Mammon. The Wealth of the One has made itfelf Wings, and is irrecoverably gone; while the wretched Acquirers are tranfmitted to that Place of Penury and Pain, where not so much as one Drop of Water is allowed to cool their scorched Tongues: Whereas the Stores of the other still abide with