anxieties, and encroach still more upon that time, (too little before,), which they could afford to allot to the concerns of their souls. Such opportunities they call providential openings, and perhaps say they are thankful for them; not considering that such openings of Providence are frequently temptations or tests, which the Lord permits a man to meet with, to prove what is in his heart, and to try him, whether he will hold fast his integrity or not, and whether his affections be indeed set on the things above, or still cleave to the earth.

It is sometimes the pleasure of the Lord to give a servant of his what the world calls prosperity. He places him in a line of life suited to his turn and ability, prepares a plain path before him, and, by a blessing upon his industry and economy, the man, perhaps, from small beginnings, increases in wealth, almost imperceptibly, with little other solicitude on his own part, than a faithful attention to the duties of his calling from day to day. Such a person is a public benefit. The Lord, who gives him riches, teaches him likewise how to use them. He chiefly values the increase of his property and influence, as they enlarge his sphere of usefulness. He is ready and active to promote the cause of God in the world, and to relieve the wants and miseries of his fellow-creatures. He is eyes to the blind, and feet to the lame; the friend of the fatherless and the widow. Persons of this character are to be found amongst us; but compared with the bulk of professors, we may apply to them what the poet says of the fleet of Eneas after the storm:

Apparent rari, nantes in gurgite vasto.

A few still swim upon the waves, which have swallowed

up many. For those who, as the apostle expresses it," will be rich," who will strain every nerve to load themselves with thick clay, and to be found in the list of those who gain much money, or transact much business, may, and often do, obtain the poor reward they seek. As in the case of Israel, when, not satisfied with bread from heaven, they importunately clamoured for flesh likewise; God gives them their desire, but sends leanness withal into their souls. They expose themselves to temptations and snares, to foolish passions and pursuits; and thus too many, who promised fair at the first setting out, are drowned in destruction and perdition. For it is written in the Scripture, that no covetous man, who is an idolater, shall inherit the kingdom of God; and the Scriptures cannot be broken.

At the best, if they do not finally perish, they are in great danger of erring from the faith, and certainly pierce themselves through with many sorrows: for the love of money is the root of all evil. We may err from the faith, without changing the form of our creed, or imbibing doctrinal errors. Faith is an active, powerful principle; it realizes things unseen, it leads to the throne of grace, it feeds upon the word of life, it desires and obtains communion with God, and power from the Spirit of grace, by which it purifies the heart, works by love, and overcomes the world. These are the sure effects of faith; and he who does not in some measure experience them in himself, may have an opinion, a notion of the truths of the Gospel, and may be right in theory; but he is either an utter stranger to the faith of God's people, or has greatly erred from it.

Who can enumerate the many sorrows with which the covetous and worldly-minded professor is pierced!

Especially if it be the Lord's pleasure to be gracious to him, and he purposes to bring him at last out of the snares in which he is entangled. Then, sooner or later, his schemes are broken; losses, crosses, disappointments, and anxieties, wear down his spirit. Improper connexions which he would form, because he would be rich, become thorns in his sides and in his eyes. He trusted in men, and men deceive him; he leaned upon a weak reed, which breaks, and he falls. Thus he finds that the way of transgressors and backsliders is hard. His distresses are aggravated by the voice of conscience, which will speak, and will be heard-" Hast "thou not procured these things to thyself, in that "thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God, when he led "thee by the way?"

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Covetousness, or the love of the world, is one great cause of the many trials we meet with in life. The principle of this evil is so strong in us, and so powerfully nourished by almost every thing around us, that it is seldom suppressed but by a course of sharp discipline. Many persons have now reason to be thankful for those dispensations of Providence which once seemed most severe. If the Lord had not seasonably defeated their plans of life, withered their gourds, broken their cisterns, and wounded them where they were most keenly sensible, they might, yea, they would have gone on from bad to worse. But losses are gains,. and the heaviest trials are mercies, when sanctified to bring us to our right minds, and to guide our feet into the paths of peace.

If therefore, my dear reader, you wish to avoid trouble, and to pass through life as smooth as possible, take heed and beware of covetousness. If the Lord loves you, he will not lose you; and therefore he will VOL. VI. 3 Q

beat you, as it were, in a mortar, if necessary, rather than permit that to remain in you which his soul abhors, and which, if it were to remain, would exclude you from his kingdom. He has said, and daily experience and observation confirm his aphorism, "A man's life, (the real comforts of it,) "consisteh not in the abun"dance of the things which he possesseth." Gold cannot communicate peace of mind, nor compensate for the want of it. Surely they who are satisfied with a little of this world's goods, must be more happy than they who are not satisfied with a great deal. Remember likewise, that where much is given, much will be required; and seriously consider, what will it profit a man, if he should gain the whole world, and lose his own soul!

Oct. 2, 1795,

OMICRON.

ON THE COMFORTS AND SNARES OF SOCIAL AND RELATIVE

AFFECTIONS.

ALAS! how difficult do we find it to observe a due medium between overvaluing and undervaluing our creature comforts; especially those of social and relative life. The mutual affections which does, or should subsist between husband and wife, parents and children, and proportionably between other family connexions, or our intimate and tried friends, constitute our chief temporal pleasures. These are almost the only pleasures this earth can afford, which are very interesting to an intelligent and serious mind. For these the voluptuary has little relish; sensuality has blunted his

feelings, and his gratifications are scarcely superior to those of the brutes.

Such persons are not at present concerned in the. subject of this paper, nor can they well understand it. I write for those who possess and value the comforts of domestic life, acknowledge the goodness of the Lord in bestowing and preserving them, who wish to make them additional motives for gratitude and praise, but are often apprehensive that their attachments to his gifts withdraw their thoughts from the great Giver, and encroach upon that supreme regard which is only due to himself.

A disposition to love the creature more than the Creator, is undoubtedly a part and a proof of our natural depravity. This evil principle, described by the apostle under the names of the Flesh, the Old Man, and Indwelling Sin, however weakened and mortified in a true believer, is not extirpated. The opposition

between nature and grace, flesh and spirit, renders the Christian life a state of constant warfare. They are opposite, contrary, contradictory one to the other; no peace or truce can subsist between them. The effects of this conflict extend to every faculty: when grace is in exercise, the motions of sin are noticed, checked, and lamented; but they are always sufficiently strong to render our best intentions and best actions defective and polluted; and particularly to depreciate and adulterate the finest feelings of humanity, and to turn our glory into shame. Thus our comforts often become our snares, and that which should be for our health proves an occasion of falling.

We cannot be too watchful against this propensity: it should prompt us to daily humiliation and much prayer. But the Lord is not a hard master; he gives