themselves. If they are left to increase, mischief spreads. Each of them sheds its se and if the noxious produce be not stopped, ground is entirely fouled. He certainly, cuts down the weeds as early as he can, keeps continually preventing their growth, t the best method of keeping his ground cl When the weeds are suffered to seed, the ev almost past prevention.

What admirable instruction arises from this! Our Saviour says, on many occasions: who hath ears to hear, let him hear. To who looks into this book of wisdom, it ma said, he who hath eyes to see, let him see. should think indeed he could hardly help ing, how plainly the follies and vices of me displayed in the weeds mixed among the Most men have their minds sown with Few are without some good seed in their he and no man is without many weeds. Here is a labour imposed on all. If we think i

ce

cessary to cleanse our fields from weeds; how much more necessary is it to destroy the weeds in our minds-those bad inclinations of various kinds, which spring up in them? Some fields produce one kind of weed more than another; as some men are addicted more to one kind of wickedness than another. But we all may have business enough of this kind on our hands. We see also, that if the husbandman does not destroy the weeds, every one, by attaining its growth, multiplies. It is thus too with all wicked habits. Wickedness produces its seed, and increases, like all other weeds: and we may lay it down as a rule, that he, who indulges any one wickedness, will not scruple another: nay, that he will probably indulge any, whenever a proper temptation occurs.

WHEN the corn is ripe, the harvest comes on. The reapers enter the field-the corn is cut down, and laid up in barns. The quality of

1

the grain is now fixed. This is the most im~ portant season. After this, the grain neither attains increase, nor suffers diminution. What an instructive lesson have we here ! How strongly are we reminded of the great conse quences of mortality! We are cut down by death

R 3

time, as the corn when cut, is harvested, laid up in barns; in barns; so when we are dead, great harvest-home ensues. We are laid u our last repository, the grave, till, the day judgment..

AFTER the corn is laid up in. the barn, great trial of it comes on. It is brought to threshing-floor; where the goodness or bad of the grain at once appears. Its goodnes badness was fixed, as we observed, at the vest: but it is the threshing-floor, which covers it; and the winnowing fan, which s rates the grain from the chaff.-Here we so exact a representation of the last great j ment; that one should think it could hard overlooked. We are brought before our Judge: who with an unerring rule separate good from the bad. The threshing-floor, the winnowing fan, are indeed such exact r sentations of the great conclusion of all th that they are often, in this view, alluded

scripture. We read there of our great Judge, whose fan is in his hand, with which he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into his garner; but will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.

THUS I have explained to you, my brethren, some of the great religious truths, which arise from the consideration of the common labours of the husbandman. The preparation of the ground-the sowing of the seed-the weeding of it while it grows-the reaping of it-the harvesthome-the threshing-floor, and the winnowing fan, may all put us in mind of some great truth, which may be useful to us, in our religious life -truths which though more plainly revealed in scripture, God hath thought proper also daily to remind us of in the works of his creation.

But now, besides these great truths, there are many others, which an observant person may draw from the various parts of tillage.

In the first place, nobody has such frequent opportunities, as the husbandman, of adoring the over-ruling hand of God. He sees whatever seed he puts into the ground, it produces the same kind; and in the hope of this he sows his Ꭱ Ꮞ . wheat,

if the affairs of the world were not governed an all powerful God? Chance could not possi produce so much regularity.

But now, though God by all this regular convinces mankind, that he over-rules world; yet we are reminded also of our depe ence upon him by various instances. The h bandman, above all others, has this great tr continually before his eyes. He sees it is not his own care and prudence, that the season favourable; or the crop abundant. He sees, cannot command rain or sunshine, as he thi best. He sees the year is often more wet; often more parched, than he could wish. all this, he must depend solely on God. Fr hence therefore he should learn a thankful knowledgment to his Maker, for all the good receives; and should take the bad as intended check his love for the world; and as those m of trial, which he ought to improve into relig by resignation.

T