a time for every purpose under heaven." This excellent precept he well understands, as knowing that, let an action be ever so good, if it is misplaced, and thrown out of its due order, it gathers an awkwardness, and exposes to contempt.

He knows when to be serious, and when to be cheerful;-when to be zealous, and when to be moderate; when to be deliberate, and when to be hasty; -when to be singular, and when to be conformed ;— when to speak, and when to refrain from speaking ;— when to reprove, and when to commend ;-when to give, and when to withhold ;—and never can, with a good grace, become the object of contempt and derision.

For, by this prudent timing of every word, and action, he appears to every impartial spectator serious, but not dumpish ;-cheerful, yet not frothy :-zealous, yet not fiery ;-moderate, but not lax :-deliberate, but not lazy;-active, but not rash;-singular, but not nice ;-courteous, but not cringing ;—noble, but not proud;-frugal, but not covetous;-devout, but not superstitious;-resigned, but not negligent ;fixed, but not dogmatical;-liberal, but not prodigal. He speaks, but he is not talkative. He keeps silence, but he is not sullen. He reproves, but he breaks not the head. He commends, but he puffs not up. His words are few, but they are as goads, and as nails fastened in a sure place. Sometimes, indeed, he may be betrayed into an improper action, when he trusts too much to his own understanding, or gives the reins to his unruly passions; than which there are no greater adversaries to prudence of every kind. But he improves even by his blunders, whilst with shame he recollects them, and resolves against the like failures in time coming. He searches the scriptures, which can give even to the young man knowledge and discretion. He mortifies his lusts, and moderates his passions. He maintains a life of communion with God. Therefore shall he guide his affairs with discretion unto the end; therefore shall he deal prudent

ly; he shall be extolled, and be very high. Good men shall rejoice to see none occasion of stumbling in him; and they that desire occasion shall be ashamed, because it is cut off. Go thou and do likewise.

ON CHRISTIAN DILIGENCE.

THE diligent christian is a person who looks upon time as the most invaluable of all treasures, and upon the salvation of his soul, as the most interesting business of life. He assigns not the dregs of his time to the exercise of devotion, while the flower of it is dedicated unto the pursuit of worldly employments; but he serves God with the best he can afford. He does not say unto the duties of religion, as the partial christians of the apostle James said to the poor man in vile raiment, when he came into their assembly, stand ye there, or, sit here, under my footstool; while the dufies of his civil calling are invited, with the man that wears the gold ring, and gay clothing, to sit in a good place. He seeks first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and other things can only claim a secondary care. Like Solomon, he first builds the house of God, and then his own house. As the shekel of the sanctuary was double to the common shekel; so, in the matters of eternity, he doubles the diligence that he uses in the matters of time. Religion is not his bywork, nor a matter of mere amusement, which he may, or may not attend unto, as he pleases. He knows that in all labor there is profit; and that neither the blessings of providence, nor grace, will fall into the mouth of the yawning sluggard.

Dost thou not see, O my soul! with what incessant toil the children of men acquire their worldly riches? what dangers they defy ? what difficulties they surmount? with what laborious efforts they hew out to themselves broken cisterns that can hold na water? They put forth their hand upon the rock, and

overturn the very mountains. They are not afraid of killing damps, nor overflowing floods, that their eye may see every precious thing. And shall I not much more give diligence to obtain the prize of my high calling, which cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir, the precious onyx, or the sapphire? How is he filled with conscious shame at such a thought! that worldly vanities appear with more attractive charms in the eyes of worldly men, than the things above in his eyes; and should inspire them with greater ardor to obtain them!-But especially, when he considers the shame, the pain, the sorrow, and the unknown agonies of the Redeemer, to compass our salvation; he can no more regard it as a matter of indifferency, that cost the Savior so dear. Did he think my salvation worthy of so much blood? and shall I think it worthy of no more but a few languid endeavors, slothful wishes, lazy desires? He looks upon no time as incapable of religious improvement. Even the seasons of worldly avocations are sometimes blessed seasons of intercourse with heaven. As the image of Cesar was enstamped upon the smallest coin, as well as the greatest; so the beauty of the Lord his God is stamped upon the minutest actions of life, and establishes every work of his hand.

Holiness, like a beautiful and shining varnish, spread over the colorings of a picture, imparts a hea venly lustre to his whole conversation. Instead of contriving excuses to blunt the edge of the precept, and still the clamors of his own conscience, when called to any necessary duty, he opens his mouth, and pants for God's commandments. He leaps upon the mountains, and skips over the hills of difficulty. He esteems every day lost in which he has done nothing for the glory of God, the edification of his neighbor, or his own salvation. The time which is employed by others in vain jangling, and the canvassing of idle controversies, he bestows upon the mortifying of his earthly affections, and holding fellowship with God. When engaged in prayer, or any holy duty, he puts a

holy constraint upon the backward flesh; he rallies his wandering thoughts, awakens his drowsy powers; and takes, as it were by violence the kingdom of heaven. He considers no attainment of religion as fit to be rested in; and, in the matters of salvation, he makes exception to the rule, be content with such things as you have.

When old age shall clothe his head in snow, and furrow his face with wrinkles, the retrospect of his past life will not resemble a barren and unsightly desert, but a cultivated garden. He is a credit to the religion he professes; and in some good measure, by his edifying life, and confirming conversation, supplies the want of miracles. But though he works out his own salvation with fear and trembling, it is not by his own strength; nor does he look upon his diligence, however great, as meritorious of eternal life for, as Christ hath wrought all his works for him; so it is God that worketh in him both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

ON SLOTHFULNESS,

Or, the christian stirred up to diligence and activity.

OPEN thy drowsy eyes, thou yawning sluggard, spring from thy lazy couch, on which thou turnest, like the creaking door upon the hinges. Is eternity nothing? Are heavenly joys of such a trifling nature; are hellish torments so easy to be endured; that faint endeavors, languid resolutions, empty desires, are a sufficient method to lay hold upon the one, and to avoid the other?

See with what unwearied diligence the children of this world prosecute their temporary interests.They rise up early; they sit up late; they eat the bread of sorrow. For what? To acquire either the necessaries, or the superfluities of this present transi tory life: whether their taste be riches, or honor, or

pleasure. What hardships, will the seafaring man refuse to undergo, upon the howling waste of waters, animated with the prospect of heaping up silver as the dust? They are not deterred from their steady purpose, though you should represent unto them, in liveliest images, the chosen terrors of the great deep; though you should remind them of the roaring tempests, the treacherous rock, or latent quicksands, dreadful to ships, they are not discouraged. They despise the southern heat, and the northern cold.They regard not the labors of the day, nor the watchings of the night.

Shall we mention, next, the incredible fatigues of the campaign, while the soldier pursues his way to fame and glory, through troops of hostile spears, regardless of the fierce countenances of the enemy, the flashing of the swords, and the thunder of the roaring engines, which spread desolation all before them ?With what amazing activity; with what intense application, are the intrigues of statesmen planned and executed, while they seek for glory, honor, and immortality? Alas! shall these be wiser in their gene ration, in matters of time, than the professed children of light in matters of eternity?

But dart your eyes down to the centre, to those accursed spirits who dwell in darkness, and are punished with an everlasting destruction, (for even an enemy may thus befriend us with instruction,) with what vigilance they work in the children of disobedi ence! with what diligence they exert themselves in dishonoring of God, in destruction of men, while they traverse the earth in quest of mischief, as the hungry lion paces the desert round and round, if haply he can find a beast of chase whom he may devour!

Throw next your eyes toward these happy regions where angels reside, and where the spirits of the just made perfect eternally reap the fruits of their Redeemer's purchase. With what alacrity they do his will! Swift as the lightning's glimpse they run; they fly. Hear how they swell the note in the trium