ness creep. Let some secondary, some subsidiary, employment, of a fair and laudable kind, be always at hand to fill up those vacant spaces of life, which too many assign, either to corrupting amusements, or to mere inaction. We ought never to forget, that entire idleness, always borders, either on misery, or on guilt.

At the same time, let the course of our employments be ordered in such a manner, that in carrying them on, we may be also promoting our eternal interest. With the business of the world, let us properly intermix the exercises of devotion. By religious duties, and virtuous actions, let us study to prepare ourselves for a better world. In the midst of our labours for this life, it ought never to be forgotten, that we must first seek the kingdoin of God, and his righteousness; and give dilige.ce to make our calling and election sure;" otherwise, how active soever we may seem to be, our whole activity will prove only a laborious idleness: we shall appear in the end, to have been busy to no purpose, or to a purpose worse than none. Then only we fulfil the proper character of Christians, when we join that pious zeal which

becomes us as the servants of God, with that industry which is required of us, as good mem bers of society; when, according to the exhor tation of the Apostle, "we are found not slothful in business," and, at the same time, "fervent in spirit, serving the Lord."

DIFFIDENCE OF OUR ABILITIES, A MARK
OF WISDOM,

lr is a sure

hiffident of it.

indication of good sense, to be We then, and not till then, are growing wise, when we begin to discern how weak and unwise we are. An absolute perfection of understanding, is impossible: he makes the nearest approaches to it, who has the sense to discern, and the humility to acknowledge, its imperfections. Modesty always sits grace. fully upon youth; it covers a multitude of faults, and doubles the lustre of every virtue which it seems to hide the perfections of men being like those flowers which appear more beautiful, when their leaves are a little contracted and

folded up, than when they are full blown, and display themselves, without any reserve, to the view.

We are, some of us, very fond of knowledge, and apt to value ourselves upon any proficiency in the sciences; one science, however, there is, worth more than all the rest, and that is the science of living well; which shall remain, when "tongues shall cease," and "knowledge shall vanish away." As to new notions, and new doctrines, of which this age is very fruitful, the time will come, when we shall have no pleasure in them: nay the time will come, when they shall be exploded, and would have been forgotten, if they had not been preserved in those excellent books, which contain a confutation of them; like insects preserved for ages in amber, which otherwise would have returned to the common mass of things. a firm belief of Christianity, and a practice suitable to it, will support and invigorate the mind to the last; and most of all, at last, at that important hour, which must decide our hopes and apprehensions: and the wisdom, which like our Saviour, cometh from above,

But

will, through his merits, bring us thither. All our other studies and pursuits, however different, ought to be subservient to, and centre in, this grand point, the pursuit of eternal happiness, by being good in ourselves, and useful to the world.

TRUST IN THE CARE OF PROVIDENCE
RECOMMENDED.

MAN, considered in himself, is a very helpless, and a very wretched being. He is subject every moment to the greatest calamities and misfortunes. He is beset with dangers on all sides; and may become unhappy by numberless casualties, which he could not foresee, nor have prevented, had he foreseen them.

It is our comfort, while we are exposed to so many accidents, that we are under the care of ONE, who directs all events, and has in his hands, the management of every thing that is capable

of annoying or offending us; who knows the assistance we stand in need of, and is always ready to bestow it on those who ask it of him,

The natural homage, which such a creature bears to so infinitely wise and good a Being, is a firm reliance on him for the blessings and conveniencies of life; and an habitual trust in him, for deliverance out of all such dangers and difficulties as may befall us.

The man who always lives in this disposi tion of mind, has not the same dark and melancholy views of human nature, as he who consi ders himself abstractedly from this relation to the Supreme Being. At the same time that he reflects upon his own weakness and imperfection, he comforts himself with the contemplation of those divine attributes, which are employed for his safety, and his welfare. He finds his want of foresight made up, by the omniscience of Him who is his support. He is not sensible of his own want of strength, when he knows that his helper is Almighty. In short, the person who has a firm trust in the Supreme Being, is powerful in his power, wise