ents of threats, promises, kindness, and severity, upon a child of unhappy difpofitions; yet, as a difcreet parent, his object must ever be the fame, the rendering of his child an ufeful man: if he fucceeds not, he can only deplore the ill fuccefs of his kind endeavours; he cannot forcibly imprefs the virtues neceffary to the purpose. We may unhappily find hereafter, if we cannot believe it now, that GoD may be, in the fame manner, under a neceffity of leaving those creatures to the bitter confequences of their own vices, whom his prefent difcipline could not reclaim to virtue. If we look around us, we find, throughout the vegetable and animal kingdoms, one uniform appointment, that reads a filent lecture to mankind. It is this; that we must seek our happinefs in that, which is the peculiar privilege and characteristic of our nature. Almost every fpecies, amidst the numerous numerous tribes of plants and animals, has a peculiar aptness and difpofition for particular elements, foils, and foods. They fubfift no longer, than they find things adapted to this peculiar organization. Remove a plant from thofe juices, and those degrees of heat and cold, which nature rendered neceffary to it; and it languishes and dies away: deprive an animal of the nourishment suited to its particular organs, and death is the certain confequence. No artificial means can fuperfede the capital effential defect. MAN, to be fure, by means of his animal nature, is capable of relishing bodily pleasures, of enjoying a mere fenfual life. But, as he has a moral and intellectual nature, as he is defigned for a spiritual life hereafter; is he not taught, by these natural intimations, to prepare himself for this higher enjoyment, by fuitable virtuous difpofitions ? WE We have great reafon to believe, that it is the established rule of Divine government, that we muft, in some meafure, render ourselves meet to be partakers of glory, before we can have any lot or inheritance there. Without a capacity, there can be no pleasurable perception. The life of a brute cannot form an angel. A worm can receive no acceffion of happiness from the fplendor of a court; a fool has no conceptions of the pleafures of knowledge; a vicious man has no relish in ferious and virtuous exercises. Ir is in our power to acquire fuch habits now, as will prepare us for a purer happiness. Let virtue, and reason guide our animal defires; and they cannot obstruct this great end. Slight imperfections may occafionally interrupt, but will never finally deftroy, our happier tendency. The grace of God will supply the reft. (for he gives us But let us not suppose not the leaft counte nance) nance) that he can alter the nature and conftitution of things: if we seek true happiness, we must seek it in the way he has appointed us. We might confirm our faith too, if we but reflected a little upon our nature in another view. There is fomething in virtue fo congenial, if I may fo express myself, whith the nature of man; that the mind is never perfectly at eafe, but when it has innocence to fupport it. Worldly comforts may amuse, beguile, and please for a time; but they afford no folid and permanent fatisfaction, where the leaft idea of guilt is connected with the memory of them. This gives a pain which no earthly confolations can alleviate; while virtue gives a tranquillity, which no earthly evils can deftroy. And what is this, but an audible leffon, to all those who will hear its voice, that man is in a ftate, which requires a virtuous, sober, and righteous life? III. FROM what has been faid, we learn feveral useful leffons to rectify our notions, and direct our practice, WE fee repentance is not a duty which we have a natural right to exercife at any time or in any manner we think proper-It is the mercy of GOD through Jefus Chrift, which we must embrace at his time and according to his appointAnd if we had as great regard to our spiritual as to our bodily health, (and the former is certainly of much greater confequence*) we fhould embrace the first opportunity of applying the means of our recovery. ment. NOR is it neceffary (as fome deluded men pretend to tell us) to affign the exact place and time of our converfion; nor are those outward expreffions, forrow, mourning, and tears, neceffary parts nam cur, Quæ lædunt oculum, feftinas demere, fiquid HOR. |