THE FOLLY OF MEN.

MEN show particular folly on five different occasions; when they establish their fortunes on the ruin of others; when they expect to excite love by coldness, and by showing more marks of dislike than affection; when they expect to become learned in the midst of repose and pleasure; when they seek friends without making advances of friendship; and when they are unwilling to succour their friends in distress.

EVERY THING ABOUT US IS SERIOUS.

WHEN Walsingham, a Secretary of State in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, arrived at old age, he retired to the country to end his days in privacy. Some of his former gay companions came one day to see him, and rallied him as being melancholy; his answer deserves serious consideration: "No, I am not melancholy, but I am serious; and it is very proper that we should be so. Ah! my friends, while we laugh, every thing is serious about us. God is serious, who exercises patience towards us. Christ is serious, who shed his atoning blood for us. The Holy Ghost is serious, in striving against the obstinacy of our hearts. The Holy Scriptures are serious books; they present to our thoughts the most serious concerns in all the world. The holy sacraments represent very serious and awful matters. The whole creation is serious. All in heaven are serious. All who are in hell are serious. How then can we be gay and trifling?"

ANECDOTE.

SIR JAMES MACKINTOSH, when at Paris, paid a visit to the Deaf and Dumb Institution there. The Abbe Sicard introduced several of his pupils to him, to one of whom, Massien, at Sir James' request, the following question was submitted:"Doth God reason?" Massien, on seeing the question written, at first appeared perplexed; but soon after returned this decisive and logical solution: "God sees every thing! To reason is to doubt, to hesitate, to inquire, the highest attribute of a limited intelligence: God,therefore, doth not reason." The Abbé, when at Brighton, a short time since, with Massien, was met at the Customhouse by a gentleman acquainted with the anecdote above related, and who begged of him again to propound the same question to his pupil, which he politely did, and the answer returned, was: -"Men reason, but in order to find truth. God, who knows truth, is not in want of reason, and does not reason."

DOXOLOGY.

Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, to the only wise God and Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen. Are we now kept from falling? Are we hereafter to be presented faultless? Unto Him alone who is able, unto Him who only is wise,-belongs the praise of our present steadfastness, and shall belong the praise of our after perfection! Unto "God our Saviour" be ascribed the " glory,"

and we shall bring to his throne the tributes of reverence and gratitude. Unto Him be ascribed "the majesty," and our expressions of gratitude we shall mingle with acknowledgment of awe, for the unspeakable grandeur and dignity of his character. Unto him be ascribed "the dominion,” and we shall bow ourselves down in the dust before the authority, underived and unlimited, by which all things, whether in the natural or the moral world, in time or eternity, are ordered' and disposed. Unto Him be ascribed the "power," and we shall ever supremely fear that almighty arm, which maintains the authority that is underived and unlimited.-Say, what is it we can accomplish, that we owe not to His "power?" What we can possess, which shall not belong to that "dominion?" And is there aught so wondrous as the condescension of divine "majesty" in stooping to regard us! Shall we not therefore offer unto God, "the glory" of all that we now are; -the praise of every blessing which we enjoy, and of all the good of which we are rendered susceptible? If we are "kept from falling" into the apostacy of the infidel,-into the flagrant crimes of the hardened professor,-into the defections of the worldly-minded,—into the carelessness of the luke-warm; if, instead of "falling' into these, we are persevering, by any progressive measures, in the opposite excellencies of faith, purity, spiritual mindedness and godly zeal; shall we not attribute the praise unto Him, without whom we had been nothing, and can do nothing? -Unto Him "be the glory now,"-unto him be it ascribed "for ever."-Yes! "for ever." When the periods of time shall no longer be revolving as the periods of our being; when our existence

320 YOUNG MAN'S SUNDAY BOOK.

shall no longer have its seasons marked by the revolution of sun, moon and stars; when the soul, which in its present frail dwelling is moved by the changes of a fluctuating world, shall have survived unhurt amidst the destruction of the material creation itself, and during countless ages, numbered by the vast cycles of the celestial state, shall have continued "faultless before the presence of the divine glory, joying with exceeding joy," still even then, no continuance in purity, nor stability in blessedness, shall occasion a moment's forgetfulness of Him, who gives all, and upholds the possession of all. The song of gratitude shall still be the same. For ever shall it express the language of humility. All honour be disclaimed by the devout worshipper. The crown be laid low at the throne of mercy;-and the glory of being preserved "faultless" through eternity, be given "unto the only wise God our Saviour."

THE END.