ing down of the Grafhopper is a Burthen on the bending Shoulders, and Defire itself fails in the liftless, inactive, lethargic Soul:-Before those heavy Hours come, and those tiresome Moments draw nigh; in which, there is too much Reason to fay, We have no Pleafure in them; no Improvement from them.

IF their Lamps were unfurnished with Oil, how unfit must they be, in fuch decrepit Circumftances, to go to the Market, and buy *? For, befides a Variety of Disorders, arifing from the enfeebled Conftitution; their Corruptions must be surprisingly ftrengthened, by fuch a long Course of Irreligion. Evil Habits must have ftruck the deepest Root; must have twisted themfelves with every Fibre of the Heart; and be as thoroughly ingrained in the Difpofition, 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

fignified The enervated State of the Hands and Arms ; by the latter, the Dimnefs of the Eyes, or the total Lofs of Sight: that, taken in Connection with other Parts of the Chapter, they exhibit, in a Series of elegant Similitudes, a Defcription of the various Infirmities, which accompany Old Age.

*Matt. xxv. 9.

one escapes Destruction, and is saved at the last, it muft, without all peradventure, be-fo as by Fire *.

THIS is the Season that ftands in need of Comfort, and is very improper to enter upon the Conflict. The Hufbandınan should now be putting in his Sickle, or eating the Fruit of his Labours; not beginning to break up the Ground, or scatter the Seed.-Nothing, '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 difmal Dominion of primeval Darkness. At his Command, a Leprofy of the longest Continuance, and utmost 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 fourfcore Years.-Yet trust not, O trust not, a Point of fuch inexpressible Importance, to so dreadful an Uncertainty. GOD may fufpend his Power; may withdraw his Help; may fwear in his Wrath, that fuch Abusers of his Long-fuffering fhall "never enter into his Reft."

YE therefore, that are vigorous in Health, and blooming in Years, improve the precious Opportunity. Improve your golden Hours to the nobleft of all Purpofes: Such as may render You meet for the Inheritance of Saints in Light; and E 2 afcertain

* 1 Cor. iii. 15.

afcertain your Title to a State of immortal Youth, to a Crown of eternal Glory *.-Stand not, all the Prime of your Day, idle: trifle no longer with the Offers of this immenfe Felicity 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 fpeedy Victims. Not long ago I happened to 'fpy a thoughtlefs Jay. The poor Bird was idly bufied in dreffing his pretty Plumes, or hopping carelefly from Spray to Spray. A Sportsman coming by, obferves the feathered Rover. Immediately he lifts the Tube, and levels his Blow. Swifter than Whirlwind flies the leaden Death; and, in a Moment, lays the filly Creature, breathlefs on the Ground.

May I be permitted to recommend, as a Treafure of ineftimable Value, and a Treatife particularly appofite to my Subject, Dr Lucas's Enquiry after Happinefs? That Part efpecially, which difplays the Method, and enumerates the Advantages of Improving Life, or Living much in a little Time. Chap. III. p. 158. of the 6th Edit.- -An Author, in whom the Gentleman, the Scholar, and the Chriftian, are moft happily united.-A Performance, which, in Point of folid Argument, unaffected Piety, and a Vein of Thought amazingly fertile, has, perhaps, no Superior.Nor can I wish my Reader a more refined Pleasure, or a more fubftantial Happiness, than that of having the Sentiments of this entertaining and pathetic Writer, wove into the very Texture of his Heart.

Ground.-Such, fuch, may be the Fate of the Man, that has a fair Occcafion of obtaining Grace To-day, and wantonly postpones the Improvement of it till To-morrow. He may be cut off in the midst of his Folly, and ruined for ever, while he is dreaming of being wife hereafter.

Rich also they

SOME, no doubt, came to this their laft Retreat, full of Piety, and full of Days; " as a "Shock of Corn, ripe with Age, and laden with "Plenty, cometh in, in his Seafon *."-These were Children of Light, and wife in their Generation; wife towards Go D; wife for their most important Concerns; and wife for that blifsful Eternity, they now inherit.were, more honourably and permanently rich, than all the Votaries of Mammon. The Wealth of the One has made itself Wings, and is irrecoverably gone; while the wretched Acquirers are transmitted to that Place of Penury and Pain, where not fo much as one Drop of Water is allowed, to cool their fcorched Tongues. Whereas, the Stores of the Other still abide with them; will never depart from them; but make them glad for Ever and Ever, in the City of their God. Their Treasures were fuch, as no created Power could take away; fuch as none but infinite BeneE 3 ficence

* Job v. 26.

ficence can beftow; and (Oh! comfortable to confider!) fuch as I, and every indigent longing Sinner, may obtain; Treasures of heavenly Knowledge, and faving Faith; Treasures of atoning Blood, and imputed Righteousness.

HERE* lie their Bodies in " peaceable Habi"tations, and quiet Resting places." Here they have

* Some, I know, are offended at our burying Corpfes within the Church, and exclaim against it as a very great Impropriety and Indecency: But this, I ima gine, proceeds from an exceffive and mistaken Delicacy. Let proper Care be taken to fecure from Injury, the Foundations of the Building; and to prevent the Exhalation of any noxious Effluvia, from the putrefying Flesh and I cannot discover any Inconveniencies attending this Practice.

The Notion, that noisome Carcafes (as they are called) are very unbecoming a Place confecrated to religious Purpofes, feems to be founded on an antiquated fewish Canon: Whereby it was declared, that a dead Body imparted Defilement to the Perfon, who touched it; and polluted the Spot, where it was lodged. On which Account, the Jews were fcrupulouny careful to have their Sepulchres built at a Diftance from their Houses; and made it a Point of Confcience, not to fuffer any Cemeteries to fubfift in the City. But as this was a Rite purely ceremonial, it feems to be entirely fuperfeded by the Gospel Difpenfation.

I cannot forbear thinking, that, under the Christian Oeconomy, there is a Propriety and Usefulness in the Cuftom.- -Usefulness, because it must render our folemn Affemblies more venerable and awful. For

when