may footh the heart when flightly difcompofed; but when it is fore and deeply torn, when bereaved of its best and most beloved comforts, the only confolations that can then find accefs, arife from the hope of a better world; where thofe comforts fhall be again restored; and all the virtues fhall be affembled, in the presence of him who made them. Such hopes banish that defpair which overwhelms, and leaves only that tender melancholy which foftens the heart, and aften renders the whole character more gentle and amiable.

THOUGHTS

ON THE

IMPROVEMENT

T

OF TIME.

S.

HERE is no poffeffion in the

hands of mortals more truly valuable and important than that of time. It is a talent, which merits our highest attention, and the due improvement of it, is not only our indifpenfible duty, but our highest wisdom, and our trueft happinefs. For, as time is the most confiderable talent that God hath given us: fo are we under, the higheft obligations to improve it. On it, depends the performance of all our duties. It was given us folely for the purpose of working out our falvation," and, as much as finite nature is capable, of fecuring a blefied immortality. Upon the good or bad use we make of it, depends our future happinefs. For though our heavenly Father is very indulgent to thofe who tender a uniform obedience to his laws, yet he is a fevere and just judge, and will not fuffer us to oppofe his good purposes with impunity. And if we abuse our time, by fquandering it away on frivolous or vicious purfuits; if we waste it in doing nothing, or in doing ill, we certainly defeat the defigns of Providence in conferring it; and

confequently incur his divine difpleasure. If this world was our abiding city, and we were certain that we should not be called to an account for the mifufe of our time, there would not be fo great danger in gratifying ourselves with the indulgencies of this world's enjoyments. But fince we are fufficiently convinced of the contrary; to purfue fuch enjoyments, which at best are vain and unfatisfactory, at the expence of our immortal blifs, is the greatest degree of folly and madness we can be guilty of. For nothing can poffibly exceed` that of running voluntarily upon the rocks of deftruation, in oppofition to reafon, confcience, and conviction. Certainly eternal happinefs is of too great importance to be bartered for the fhort-lived gratifications of fenfe. And our time is of too great value to be confumed in fuch perishing and empty pleasures as afford very little fatiffaction in enjoyment, and upon reflection the greateft uneafinefs. But experience informs us, that on the other hand, time well and induftriously spent, not only affords the trueft pleafure for the prefent, but the most grateful and real fatiffaction upon reflection. Hence it is evident, that the more careful we improve our time, the more we encrease both our prefent and future happiness. When we are punctual in the discharge of our duty, confcience never fails to bear, a chearful teftimony to the propriety of our conduct: Serenity foftens every care, and fmiling fatisfaction conducts us joyfully along the path of life. Every moment prudently occupied prefents fomething to our view that may be useful; and when death fummons us to depart out of this vain world, affords the moft pleafing reflections. For at

that period, the recollection of those

ours we have fpent in performing the duties of religion, will give us the most true comfort and fatisfac

tion;

tion; whereas the time we have spent in the purfuit of pleasures, and the vain amufements of life, will very much augment our grief and torment. For what can we fuppofe will be more painful to a felf-convicted foul, than the recollection of it's folly, in preferring the perishing amufements, and gratifications of fenfe, before the folid, durable comforts of a holy life? What more diftreffing than the thoughts of its having forfeited the joys of heaven, merely for the fake of fuch enjoyments? The anguish that fuch reflections will create to a guilty foul, at prefent tranfcend our conception; and it will be our trueft wifdom fo to employ our time as not to be in danger of knowing it by experience. Who that is wife would neglect to fecure to himself the exquifite advantages of a happy eternity? And it is evident to conviction, that it cannot be done but by the improvement of time, viz. by embracing the prefent opportunity, which is only in our power, and difpofing of it to the glory of God, and the happinefs of our immortal fouls.

The improvement of time is a duty of fuch vaft importance, that it ought not to be neglected upon any account; and yet there is nothing we are fo prodigal of as time. We live in an age of luxury and diffipation. The generality of mankind are so far from improving their time, that by the trifling manner in which they spend it, they seem to have caft off all fear of God, and fenfe of religion, and to have given themselves up to all kinds of wickednefs. Temptations to luxury and vice are always in view. Example is a leffon all can read; and man is too prone to follow a multitude to do evil. Hence it is manifeft, that without the niceft circumfpection, it is very difficult to avoid those fnares of our common enemies, and his agents

which continually furround us. It is highly neceffary that we be always upon our guard, and prepared to refift them. And that we may be better qualified fo to do, we must be careful to attend frequently on the public worship of God, difcharge the feveral duties of religion, and pay a due attention to the important concerns of our im mortal fouls.

We must keep ourselves always employed, either in fome lawful purfuit, or in our refpective cal. lings and occupations. He that difcharges his duty in the station in which God has been pleafed to place him, will certainly avoid thofe views which are ever attendant on an idle life; for he who is idle and wholly unoccupied will not long continue fo; to be unemployed is unnatural; and therefore if not employed in good, he foon will in bad pursuits.

We must not confume too much of our time in lawful recreations. For though innocent amufement and recreation are requifite, not only for the health of the body, but the relaxation of the mind; yet when followed to excefs, they become highly prejudicial. A too great partiality to amufements introduces habits of floth and ease, and con-. fequently diverts our affections from bufinefs of higher importance.

We must often meditate on the folemn and awful fubjects of death and judgment, and. confider what will be the confequence if we wilfully offend our impartial judge. We must imagine we hear the trumpet founding, and the voice of the angel proclaiming, arife ye dead and come to judgment."

A due and conftant attention to thefe particulars, will not only be a means of guarding us againft the vicious temptations that furround us, but will have a happy influence on our lives and converfations. We fhall by this means imprint upon

Our

TH

ON

PSALMS.

AND EXPOSITION

PSALM VIII.

HIS is a triumphant Pfalm, and is thought to have been compofed by David, upon his victory over Goliab, that mighty man of Gath: For which conjecture I muft refer the curious reader to the very learned Dr. Hammond's first note upon this Pfalm. It is used, with great propriety, by our church upon Afcenfion-day.

Ver. 1. O Lord, our governor, how excellent is thy name in all the world! (a) thou that haft fet thy glory above the heavens!

2. Out of the mouths of very babes and fucklings haft thou ordained ftrength, because of these thine baughty enemies, the Philif rines; (b) (for I am but a child,

(a) Ver. 1. How excellent is thy name.] The name of God in Scripture phrafe, is often ufed to fignify the glory and majefty of God, or fometimes God himfelf. So we find, to call upon his name; to blafpheme his name; to fwear by his name; to build a temple to his name; to believe in the name of Chrift; and in our daily prayer, to hallow God's is ufed to hallow, and reverence him, name, and whatfoever relates to him.

(b) Ver. 2. Out of the mouth of babes and Jucklings, &c.] The fenfe of this verse, so far as it relates to David, is given above: but our Saviour applies it to himfelf, Matt. xxi. 16. And it may very fitly be applied to the first preachers of the Gofpel, who though they were in general, ignorant and unlearned

compared to this experienced foldier, 1 Sam. xvii. 33.) that thou mightest ftill, and vanquish this defier of the armies of Ifrael, even the enemy and avenger.

3. O Lord, thy wisdom, power, and goodness, are in truth very great, as I have often filently acknowledged, for when I think with myself, I will confider the heavens, even the works of thy fingers; the moon, and the ftars which thou haft ordained..

4. The next reflection which imme¬ diately occurs to me, is this, Lord, what is man, that thou art mindful

men; yet they confounded the wisdom of thofe that were deemed more wife, and made vaft numbers of willing converts to Chriftianity. See 1 Cor. i. 25, &c.

Our Saviour and his Apoflles fubdued their enemies, not by force of arms, but by the power of God's word. And I the rather mention this, becaufe, as Mr. Mede has well obferved, this quotation is generally ́mifünderstood, and fuppofed only to mean, that children thould glorify Chrift, whilst the great ones of the world de fpifed him.

But it is plain enough, that the Scribes and Chief Pricfts were not offended at the people who faid it, but at that which they said. When they [the people] cried Hofanna to the fon of David, they [the Scribes, &c.] were difpleafed, and faid unto him, hearest thou WHAT THESE SAY? How they afcribe the power of Salvation unto thee, who art a man only? Is that folemn acclamation, Hosanna, or fave now, wherewith we are wont to glorify God, fit to be given to thee? Our Saviour anfwers, yes; for have ye not read, out of the mouth of babes and fucklings thou haft ordained ftrength? Though I appear as a man, in this low and humble ftate, and feem in my prefent fituation to be no more equal to fuch a work, than a child is to the greatest undertaking, yet I am to fave my faithful followers, and fubdue mine, and their ene mies, according to that prophecy.

Mr. Mede obferves further, that though. the Evangelift records it according to the Septuagint reading, thou haft preferred praife; yet, it is very probable our Saviour might use the Hebrew phrafe, which fets the meaning clearer. And though the perfons crying Hofanna are called children, they were the fame children, the fame multitude which brought him to Jerufalem ; avd they are called children, juft as Herod's courtiers, or fervants are called children in the Greek. Matt. xiv. 2. See Mede's Difc. of

of him? or the fon of man (c) the greatest of men, that thou vifiteft him?

5. This is he of whom that may truly be faid, which cannot be applied to me his unworthy type, but in a very reftrained and qualified fenfe: namely, that thou madeft him lower than the Angels, to crown him with glory and worship. (d)

5. Of him, likewife, it is true in an unlimited fenfe, which in a reftrained one, I may say, of mankind in general, viz. that thou makest

(c) Ver. 4. Or the Son of man.] Bishop Patrick, in the preface to his paraphrafe on the Pfalms, has made a remark, which as it gives light to this and feveral other paffages of fcripture, I will give it at large,

The fon of man, and the fons of men, are phrafes which of. en occur, and which I have good ground to think, belong in fcripture language to princes, and fometimes the greatest of princes. So Pf. lxxx. 17. Let thy hand be upon the man of thy right hand, and upon the fon of man, whom thou madeft fo frong: Here it means King Hezekiah. And P. cxlvi. 2. O put not your trust in princes, nor in any children or fon of man, i. e. how great a prince foever he be, though of never fuch dignity and power, for there is no help in them. And thus the counsellors of Saul, are called the fons of men, Pf. lviii. 1. And fo I understand If. l. 12. who art, thou that thou thould be afraid of a man that fhall die, and of the fon of man, i. e, a prince, who thall be as grafs.

The original of which language, I con

him to have dominion of the works of thy hands; and thou haft put all things in fubjection under his feet.

7. All fheep and oxen; yea, and all the wild beasts of the field.

8. The fowls of the air, and the fishes of the fea, and whatsoever walketh, or moveth through the paths of the fea.

9. Is it not moft fit, therefore, that we adore thy divine Majefty, and fay? O Lord, our governor, how excel lent is thy name in all the world!

ceive, is to be fetched from the common manner of fpeech among the Hebrews, who call the chief of any kind, by the whole kind. As they call man, creature, Mark xvi. 14. becaufe, he is the prime creature here below, fo a king, or eminent perfon, they call the Son of man, becaufe he is the prime or chief among the fons of men.

And by the way, from hence we may learn, what to understand by that title, which our bleffed Saviour fo often gives himself, the fun of man, or rather that fon of man, i. e. the Mehah, the Lord's anointed, that great prince God promised to blefs them with. It can have no other meaning in John v. 22, 27. (where he faith, God hath committed all judgment unto him, because he is the fon of man, or that fon of man) than this, that he is that great perfon, whom God defigned to be the Lord, and governor of all things,

(d) Ver. 5. Thou madeft him lower than the Angels, &c. This is applied to our Saviour, by the Apoftle, Heb. ii, 7. as is the following verfe likewife. See alfo, 1 Cor. xv. 27.

At the fame time, that thefe learned men declare how difingenuous, bafe and wicked it would be, how much beneath the dignity of philofophy, and contrary to the precepts of christianity, to utter falfhoods or forgeries in the fupport of a caufe, though never fo just in itfelf, they confidently affert this miraculous power, which then subfifted in the church, nay tell us that they themselves had been eye-witneffes of it at feveral times, and in feveral instances; nay appeal to the heathens themselves for the truth of feveral facts they relate, nay challenge them to be prefent at their affemblies, and fatisfy themfelves, if they doubt of it; nay we find that Pagan authors have in fome inftances confeffed this miraculous power.

The letter of Marcus Aurelius, whofe army was preferved by a refreshing fhower, at the fame time that his enemies were discomfited by a ftorm of lightning, and which the heathen hiftorians themselves allow to have been fupernatural and the effect of magic: I fay, this let2 ter, which ascribed this unexpected affiftance to the prayers of the chriftians, who then ferved in the army, would have been thought an unqueftioned teftimony of a miraculous power, had it been ftill preserved. It is fufficient in this place to take notice, that this was one of those miracles which had its influence on the learned converts, because it is related by Tertullian, and the very letter appealed to. When these learned men faw fickness and frenzy cured, the dead raised, the oracles put to filence, the dæmons and evil fpirits forced to confefs themselves no Gods, by perfons who only made ufe of prayer and adjurations in the name of their crucified Saviour; how could they doubt of their Saviour's power on the like occafions, as reprefented to them by the traditions of the church, and the writings of the evangelists?

We cannot omit that which ap

pears to us a ftanding miracle in the three firft centuries, namely, that amazing and fupernatural courage or patience, which was fhewn by innumerable multitudes of martyrs, in those flow and painful torments that were inflicted on them. We cannot conceive a man placed in the burning iron chair at Lyons, amid the infults and mockeries of a crouded amphitheatre, and ftill keeping his feat; or ftretched upon a grate of iron, over coals of fire, and breathing out his foul among the excruciating, fufferings of fuch a tedious execution rather than renounce his religion or blafpheme his Saviour. Such trials feem to me above the ftrength of human nature, and able to over-bear duty, reafon, faith, conviction, nay, and the most abfolute certainty of a future ftate. Humanity, unaffifted in an extraordinary manner, must have shaken off the prefent preffure, and have delivered itfelf out of fuch a dreadful diftrefs, by any means that could have been fuggefted to it. We can eafily imagine, that many perfons, in fo good a caufe, might have laid down their lives at the gibbet, the ftake, or the block: but to expire leifurely among the most horrid tortures, when they might come out of them, even by a mental refervation, or an hypocrify, which was not without a poffibility of being followed by repentance and forgivenefs, has fomething in it, fo far beyond the force and natural ftrength of mortals, that one cannot but think there was fome miraculous power to fupport the sufferer.