a graceful Expanfion. Then, what a lovely Blush will glow in their Cheeks, and what a balmy Odour exhale from their Bofoms!

So, when Divine Grace fhines upon the Mind, even the Churl becomes bountiful: The Heart of Stone is taken away; and a Heart of Flesh, a Heart fufceptible of the fofteft, most compaffionate Emotions, is introduced in its ftead. O! how fweetly do the focial Affections dilate themfelves, under so benign an Influence! Just like these disclofing Gems under the powerful Eye of Day. The tender Regards are no longer confined to a fingle Object, but extend themfelves into a generous Concern for Mankind, and fhed liberal Refreshments on all within their Reach.

ARISE then, Thou Sun of Righteoufnefs; arife, with Healing under thy Wings; and transfufe thy gentle, but penetrating Ray, through all our intellectual Powers. Enlarge every narrow Difpofition, and fill us with a diffufive Benevolence.

Make

Room in our Breasts for the whole human Race, and teach us to love all our FellowCreatures, for their amiable Creator's Sake: May we be pleased with their Excellencies,

7

and

and rejoice at their Happiness; but feel their Miseries as our own, and, with a Brother's Sympathy; haften to relieve them.

DISPOSED at proper Distances, I obferve a Range of ftrong and ftately Stalks. They ftand like Towers, along the Walls of a fortified City; or rife like lofty Spires, amidst a Group of Houses. They part, at the Top, into feveral penfile fpiky Pods; from each of which will be excluded, within a little time, a fine Figure, of a very peculiar and inftructive Character; rounded into a Form, that conftitutes a perfect Circle; spread wide open into the moft frank and communicative Air; tinged with the Colour, which, of all others, moft captivates the Mifer's.Eye.

1

BUT the Property Lchiefly admire, is its paffionate Fondness for the Sun. When Evening with her Shades comes on, the poor Flower droops, and folds up its Leaves. It mourns all the long Night, like fome forlorn Lover, for the Absence of the Light. No fooner does Providence open "the Eye"lids of the Morning," but immediately, it * addresses itself to the Object of its Affec

Illa fuum, quamvis Radice tenetur,
Vertitur ad Solem.

tion; courts and careffes it all the Day; nor ever lofes Sight of the refulgent Charmer, fo long as it continues above the Horizon.

In the Morning, you may perceive it presenting a golden Bofom to the Eaft; at Noon, it points upward to the middle Sky; in the Evening, follows the fame attractive Influence to the West.

SURELY Nature is a Book, and every Page rich with facred Hints. To an attentive Mind the Garden turns Preacher, and its blooming Tenants are fo many lively Sermons. What an engaging Pattern, and what an excellent Leffon, have we Here!

So, let the Redeemed of the LORD look unto JESUS, and be conformed to their Beloved. Let us all be Heliotropes (if I may ufe the Expreffion) to the Sun of Rightcoufness. Let our Paffions rife and fall, take this Course or that, as his Word determines, as his holy Example guides. Let us be fo accommodated both to his commanding and providential Will, as the Afpect of this enamoured Flower is to the fplendid Star which creates our Day.

IN every Enjoyment, O thou watchful Christian, look unto JESUS; receive it as proceeding

his Agonies.

proceeding from his Love, and purchased by In every Tribulation look unto JESUS; mark his gracious Hand, managing the Scourge; or mingling the bitter Cup; attempering it to a proper Degree of Severity; adjusting the Time of its Continuance; and ready to make these seeming Difafters productive of real Good.

:

In

In

every Infirmity and Failing, look unto JESUS, thy merciful High-Pricft, pleading his atoning Blood, and making Interceffion for Tranfgreffors. In every Prayer look unto JESUS, thy prevailing Advocate, recommending thy Devotions, and " bearing "the Iniquity of thy holy Things." every Temptation look unto JESUS, the Author of thy Strength, and Captain of thy Salvation, who alone is able to lift up the Hands that hang down, to invigorate the enfeebled Knees, and make thee more than Conqueror over all thy Enemies. But especially, when the Hour of thy Departure approaches; when "thy Flesh and thy Heart "fail;" when all the Springs of Life are irreparably breaking; then look unto JESUS with a believing Eye. Like expiring Stephen, behold him ftanding at the Right Hand

of

of GOD, on purpose to fuccour his People in this their last Extremity. Yes, my Chriftian Friend, when thy Journey through Life is finished, and thou art arrived on the very Verge of Mortality; when thou art just launching out into the invifible World, and all before thee is vaft Eternity; Then, O then, be fure to look ftedfaftly unto JESUS! "See by Faith the LORD'S CHRIST. View Him as the only Way to the everlasting Manfions, as the only Door to the Abodes of Blifs.

NOT long ago, thefe curious Productions of the Spring were coarse and mis-shapen Roots. Had we opened the Earth, and beheld them in their Seed, how uncouth and contemptible had their Appearance been!

But now they are the Boaft of Nature; the Delight of the Sons of Men; finished Patterns for Enamelling and Embroidery; outfhining even the happieft Strokes of the Penfil. They are taught to bloom, but with a very inferior Luftré, in the richest Tapestries, and moft magnificent Silks. Art never attempts to equal their incomparable Elegancies; but places all her Merit in copying

after