tó, how our shadows lengthen as the sun goes down ;-to whom I may say, How fresh is the face of Nature! How sweet the flowers of the field! How delicious are these fruits!

SERMON XVIII.

SORROW.

SWEET is the look of sorrow for an offence, in a heart determined never to commit it more! upon that altar only could I offer up my wrongs.

SERMON XVIII.

If there is an evil in this world, 'tis sorrow and heaviness of heart-The loss of goods,-of health, of coronets and mitres, are only evils as they occasion sorrow ;-take that out-the rest is fancy, and dwelleth only in the head of man.

Poor unfortunate creature that he is! as if the causes of anguish in the heart were not enowbut he must fill up the measure with those of caprice; and not only walk in a vain shadow,-but disquiet himself in vain too.

We are a restless set of beings; and as we are likely to continue so to the end of the world,the best we can do in it, is to make the same use of this part of our character, which wise men do of other bad propensities-when they find they cannot conquer them,-they endeavour, at least, to divert them into good channels.

If, therefore, we must be a solicitous race of

self-tormentors,-let us drop the common objects. which make us so,and for God's sake be solicitous only to live well.

SERMON XXIX.

SUICIDE.

WHAT Scripture and all civilized nations teach concerning the crime of taking away another man's life-is applicable to the wickedness of a man's attempting to bereave himself of his own.— He has no more right over it,-than over that of others;—and whatever false glosses have been put upon it by men of bad heads or bad hearts,

-it

is at the bottom a complication of cowardice, and wickedness, and weakness-is one of the fatalest mistakes desperation can hurry a man into ;-inconsistent with all the reasoning and religion of the world, and irreconcileable with that patience under afflictions, that resignation and submission to the will of God in all straits, which is required of us. But if our calamities be brought upon ourselves by a man's own wickedness,-still has he less to urge,-less reason has he to renounce the protection of GoD-when he most stands in need of it, and of his mercy.

SERMON XXXV,

TEMPER

POVERTY, exile, loss of fame or friends, the death of children, the dearest of all pledges of a man's happiness, make not equal impressions upon every temper.- -You will see one man undergo, with scarce the expense of a sigh,-what another, in the bitterness of his soul, would go mourning for all his life long:-nay, a hasty word, or an unkind look, to a soft and tender nature, will strike deeper than a sword to the hardened and senseless. If those reflections hold true with regard to misfortunes, they are the same with regard to enjoyments:-we are formed differently,-and have different tastes and perceptions of things;— by the force of habit, education, or a particular cast of mind,-it happens that neither the use or possession of the same enjoyments and advantages, produce the same happiness and contentment;but that it differs in every man almost according to his temper and complexion: so that the self-same happy accidents in life, which give raptures to the choleric or sanguine man, shall be received with indifference by the cold and phlegmatic ;—and so oddly perplexed are the accounts of both human happiness and misery in this world,-that trifles, light as air, shall be able to make the hearts of some men sing for joy;-at the same time that others, with real blessings and advantages, without the power of using them, have their hearts heavy and discontented.

Alas! if the principles of contentment are not

within us

-the height of station or worldly grandeur will as soon add a cubit to a man's stature as to his happiness.

SERMON XLIV.

UNCERTAINTY.

THERE is no condition in life so fixed and per manent as to be out of danger, or the reach of change and we all may depend upon it, that we shall take our turns of wanting and desiring. By how many unforeseen causes may riches take wing! The crowns of princes may be shaken, and the greatest that ever awed the world have experienced what the turn of the wheel can do.— That which hath happened to one man may befal another; and, therefore, that excellent rule of our Saviour's ought to govern us in all our actions, Whatsoever you would that men should do to you, do you also to them likewise.-Time and chance happen to all; and the most affluent may be stript of all, and find his worldly comforts like so many withered leaves dropping from him.

SERMON XLI.

UNITY.

Look into private life-behold how good and pleasant a thing it is to live together in unity;— it is like the precious ointment poured upon the head of Aaron, that run down to his skirts; in

porting that this balm of life is felt and enjoyed, not only by governors of kingdoms, but is derived down to the lowest rank of life, and tasted in the most private recesses ;-all, from the king to the peasant, are refreshed with its blessings, without which we can find no comfort in any thing this world can give.-It is this blessing gives every one to sit quietly under his vine, and reap the fruits of his labour and industry :-in one word, which béspeaks who is the bestower of it-it is that only which keeps up the harmony and order of the world, and preserves every thing in it from ruin and confusion.

SERMON XLI.

VANITY.

VANITY bids all her sons be generous and brave, and her daughters to be chaste and courteous.But why do we want her instructions? Ack the comedian, who is taught a part he feels not.

SERMON XVII.

VICE NOT WITHOUT USE.

THE lives of bad men are not without use,--and whenever such a one is drawn, not with a corrupt view to be admired,—but on purpose to be detested-it must excite such a horror against vice, as will strike indirectly the same good impression. And though it is painful to the last de