goodness, and of hope, which we have attained, on the use we make of outward things, but not on the things themselves. Riches, honour, rank, and station, power and authority, health and strength, extensive and advantageous connections with others, are, doubtless, means, incentives, opportunities, subservient to our perfection and happiness, and thus may promote contentment; but they are not contentment itself. We may possess all these advantages in an eminent degree, and yet think falsely and foolishly; we may even then be the slaves of our lusts and passions, as well as discontented and wretched. But even poverty and meanness, hard restraints and adverse fortunes, sickness and afflictions, may advance our intrinsic fection, and consequently promote our contentment and happiness. If we are but daily growing more intelligent, wise, and virtuous, we may certainly review both ourselves and our condition with satisfaction; we are laying a firm foundation of contentment, and shall not fail of our ultimate object; so that it may well be matter of indifference to us, whether we reach it in the way of obscurity or of distinction, of wealth or of poverty.

per

Let us beware of forming a false estimate of human life. Whoever, deceived by certain figures of speech, represents this earth to himself as a joyless desert, as a vale of tears and sorrow, as the abode of darkness and misery; whoever, from misanthropy or ill-humour, at one time thinks that all mankind are fools, and at another knaves, not considering their origin and their appointment degrades them into brutes, or looks upon man only as a comedian, that has a part to perform, without any consequence or view, and when this part is played, falls back to his primitive nothingness--for such a one, this life can have no great value; to him it must be a contemptible object, the preservation of it of no importance, and the loss of it not to be lamented. But is this a true picture of human life? Has then this earth, which God has adorned with such numberless beauties and pleasures, the appearance of a dreary desert? Are weeping and wailing so frequent or so

loud upon it, that the voice of joy and gladness is no where to be heard? Does not man pass far more hours in health than in sickness? does he not experience far more bright than cloudy days? In the total amount, does not the sum of his agreeable sensations very far exceed the sum of his uneasy and painful feelings? Amongst the fools, are there not likewise many intelligent men; and amongst the wicked, many good?

That this life may be of great and real value to us, we must be at least as sensible and susceptible of the good and agreeable, as of the bad and unpleasant objects which it contains. If we pass through the world as though our senses were locked up, or with unfeeling and obdurate hearts, a thousand beauties that surround us will be unobserved; a thousand sources of pleasure, that invite us to enjoyment, will be left unexplored; or if we had rather scrutinize for defects, than look out for perfections, then indeed must this life appear to us under a dark and mournful aspect, and be little valued by us. We must open our hearts and our senses to the agreeable impressions which the advantages, the pleasures, the joys of life are adapted to make upon us; we must see and feel the innumerable blessings that present themselves to us in such diversified forms, and invite us to use them in such various ways. We must not trample, with haughty disdain, on the flowers we meet with in the path of life; we must not ungratefully reject the recreations and comforts, of which our heavenly Father has not suffered even the most rugged way to be totally destitute, nor ever turn our eyes from those glorious prospects which border on our course. Thus alone shall we properly estimate the value of life, and learn to deem it of high importance, and worthy of our

esteem.

We should improve carefully our capacity for being happy; enjoy all the good we have, and that befalls We should require and expect not things impossible and incompatible; we should heedlessly pass by no source of true satisfaction and of pure pleasure,

-us.

but draw from them all, and seek for happiness move within us than without us; we should distinguish care fully between happiness and adversity, and judge of particulars in connection with the whole, the evil in its connection with the good, the present in its connec tion with the future. So shall we infallibly not strive in vain after happiness, but perpetually be advancing from one degree of it to another.

All those things usually denominated evils, and which are fruitful sources of human complaint, are necessary both for the individual and general good. St. Pierre justly observes, "Men complain of death; but if men were not to die, what would become of their posterity? Long before now, there would not have been room for them on the face of the earth. Death, therefore, is a benefit.-Men complain of the necessity of labouring; but unless they laboured, how could they pass their time? The reputedly happy of the age, those who have nothing to do, are at a loss how to employ it. Labour, therefore, is a benefit.—Men envy the beasts that instinct which guides them; but if from their birth they knew, like them, all that they ever are to know, what should they do in the world? they would saunter through it without interest and without curiosity. Ignorance, therefore, is a benefit."

The other ills of nature are equally necessary. Pain of body and vexation of spirits, which so frequently cross the path of life, are barriers erected by the hand of Nature, to prevent our deviating from her laws. But for pain, bodies would be broken to pieces on the slightest shock; but for chagrin, so frequently the companion of our enjoyments, the mind would become the victim of every sickly appetite. Diseases are the efforts of temperament, to purge off some noxious humour. Nature employs disease, not to destroy the body, but to preserve it; in every case it is the consequence of some violation of her laws, physical or moral. The remedy is frequently obtained by leaving her to act in her own way: the regimen of aliments restores our health of body; and that of morals, tranquillity of mind. Whatever may be the opinions which

loud upon it, that the voice of joy and igladness is no where to be heard? Does not man pass far more hours in health than in sickness? does he not experience far more bright than cloudy days?! In the total amount, does not the sum of his agreeable sensations very far exceed the sum of his uneasy and painful feelings? Amongst the fools, are there not likewise marry intelligent men; and amongst the wicked, many good?

That this life may be of great and real value to us, we must be at least as sensible and susceptible of the good and agreeable, as of the bad and unpleasant objects which it contains. If we pass through the world as though our senses were locked up, or with unfeeling and obdurate hearts, a thousand beauties that surround us will be unobserved; a thousand sources of pleasure, that invite us to enjoyment, will be left unexplored; or if we had rather scrutinize for defects, than look out for perfections, then indeed must this life appear to us under a dark and mournful aspect, and be little valued by us. We must open our hearts and our senses to the agreeable impressions which the advantages, the pleasures, the joys of life are adapted to make upon us; we must see and feel the innumerable blessings that present themselves to us in such diversified forms, and invite us to use them in such various ways. We must not trample, with haughty disdain, on the flowers we meet with in the path of life; we must not ungratefully reject the recreations and comforts, of which our heavenly Father has not suffered even the most rugged way to be totally destitute, nor ever turn our eyes from those glorious prospects which border on our course. Thus alone shall we properly estimate the value of life, and learn to deem it of high importance, and worthy of our

esteem.

We should improve carefully our capacity for being happy; enjoy all the good we have, and that befalls -us. We should require and expect not things impossible and incompatible; we should heedlessly pass by no source of true satisfaction and of pure pleasure,

but draw from them all, and seek for happiness move within us than without us; we should distinguish care fully between happiness and adversity, and judge of particulars in connection with the whole, the evil in its connection with the good, the present in its connec tion with the future. So shall we infallibly not strive in vain after happiness, but perpetually be advancing from one degree of it to another.

All those things usually denominated evils, and which are fruitful sources of human complaint, are necessary both for the individual and general good. St. Pierre justly observes, "Men complain of death; but if men were not to die, what would become of their posterity? Long before now, there would not have been room for them on the face of the earth. Death, therefore, is a benefit.-Men complain of the necessity of labouring; but unless they laboured, how could they pass their time? The reputedly happy of the age, those who have nothing to do, are at a loss how to employ it. Labour, therefore, is a benefit.—Men envy the beasts that instinct which guides them; but if from their birth they knew, like them, all that they ever are to know, what should they do in the world? they would saunter through it without interest and without curiosity. Ignorance, therefore, is a benefit.”

The other ills of nature are equally necessary. Pain of body and vexation of spirits, which so frequently cross the path of life, are barriers erected by the hand of Nature, to prevent our deviating from her laws. But for pain, bodies would be broken to pieces on the slightest shock; but for chagrin, so frequently the companion of our enjoyments, the mind would become the victim of every sickly appetite. Diseases are the efforts of temperament, to purge off some noxious humour. Nature employs disease, not to destroy the body, but to preserve it; in every case it is the consequence of some violation of her laws, physical or moral. The remedy is frequently obtained by leaving her to act in her own way: the regimen of aliments restores our health of body; and that of morals, tranquillity of mind. Whatever may be the opinions which