good; and the all-sustaining hope, that we are travelling to a better country for which this state of pilgrimage is only a preparation. And if upon a serious review of ourselves the evidence appear clear that God is good, we may reasonably suppose that other individuals, in the examination of their own experiences, will come to the like conclusion; notwithstanding that their outward situations, in the eyes of others, may appear to militate against it. I mean not to infer that happiness, any more than other things, is equally distributed; some have evidently a larger portion than others; but our sources of comfort lie very much within our own breasts, and are often not laid open to outward observation.

The designs of God in the government of the world are beyond our comprehension. Of his infinite power and wisdom, we have evidence that can admit of no doubt; and the more we look into ourselves, the more ready we shall be to acknowledge his mercy and goodness. This faith will enable us to love him more perfectly, and as our love increases, we shall be more and more sensible of his goodness, and of its extension to the whole human race.

2d, 4th Mo.-"Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap."* If this text were deeply impressed on our minds, I think it would lead to great caution in our various steppings through life. And it appears to me ot only applicable to our religious concerns, but may often be seen verified in the things belonging to this life. That causes produce effects, is a position to which we are generally disposed to assent. If a man be careful to sow good seed in his ground, he looks forward with the expectation that he shall reap the same; for though "the race is not (always) to the swift, nor the battle to the strong," yet where it is not so, we consider it as something extraordinary, and not conformable to that, which we might in the common course of things expect. Various circumstances may occur between seed-time and harvest, which may prevent a man's expectations from being fully answered; but yet care and labour are generally blessed with a degree of success; if it were not so, we should feel but poor encouragement for our activity in the endeavour to remove the evils relative either to the body or mind. But such as we sow we may expect to reap. If we indulge pride and self-conceit, the

To

fruit we shall reap will most likely be contempt; if we give way to malevolence and ill-humour, we shall find the fruit it produces will be the dislike of those who feel its influence. If we are kind and beneficent, we expect to meet with love in return. these things we, in general, readily assent; but yet we are not sufficiently attentive always to sow good seed. The cause and the effect are frequently at a distance from each other, and we do not properly consider what fruit will be produced by sowing any corrupted seed. Sometimes we have almost forgotten what seed we sowed, till the badness of what we reap leads to retrospection; at others, we perhaps repent, after having sown the bad, and would do all in our power to eradicate it; but this is almost as difficult as for the Ethiopian to change his skin, or the leopard his spots; and notwithstanding our endeavours, we shall most likely find that some of the evil seed remains to be reaped. Often, very often, in the review of either our own lives, or those of others, we may trace good or bad effects to their respective causes; and I often feel a zeal that the young and thoughtless might be aware of the danger of sowing such seed as they would not wish to reap; that they would consider their ways,

and be wise, and by a prudent and circumspect conduct, guard against those effects, which sooner or later they will be brought to lament.

4th, 6th Mo.—David, expressing his faith in the power of God, says, "Though an host should encamp against me, mine heart shall not fear; though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident."* This is the language of strong faith and confidence in the protection of our Heavenly Father. But notwithstanding the caution of our Saviour to his disciples, “And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars, see that ye be not troubled,"+ I believe many of us are ready to fear and tremble, lest we should fall in the day of battle; and when the judgments of the Lord seem more peculiarly in the earth, and we hear the warning voice to try our foundations, and consider how we are prepared to stand the shocks of adversity, we are many of us humbled under a sense of our own weakness, and in earnest breathings of soul to Him who can alone help, petition that we may neither spiritually nor temporally fall by the hand of the enemy, but be enabled to bear those trials

and temptations which may fall to our lot. "Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?" was the query formerly. I should only dare to reply, like Ezekiel, to the question, "Son of man, can these bones live?" "Lord God, thou knowest." If I am enabled to drink the bitter cup, it must be through thy power strengthening my weakness; for though to will is present with me, how to perform that which I will (or desire) I know not. That thou, O Lord, wouldst be pleased to look down upon us with mercy, forgive us our transgressions, and compassionate our infirmities, is the prayer of the truly humbled soul. And whether we are supported by confidence, or depressed by fear, still enable us to believe, that as we are endeavouring to trust in thee, and to look towards the mountain of thy holiness, nothing will ever be able to separate us from thy love.

14th, 7th Mo.-"A prophet is not without honour, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house." There appear several reasons why a prophet is more likely to receive honour from strangers, + Ezek. xxxvii. 3. + Mark, vi. 4.

* Matt. xx. 22.