Shalt ftill furvive Shalt ftand before the throne of Heaven confeft, DEATH feems to enter a cottage only as a gentle deliverer from the miferies of human life; but into courts and the feats of grandeur, with infult and terror. Τα languish under a gilded canopy, to expire on soft and downy pillows, and give up the ghost in ftate, has a more gloomy afpect, than, at the call of nature, to expire on a graffy turf, and refign the breathless clay back to its proper element. What does a crowd of friends or flatterers fignify in that important hour, to the moft glorious mortal? Which of his numerous attendants would ftand the arreft of death, defcend into the filent prifon of the grave for him, or answer the fummons of the fupreme tribunal ? BEAUTY is a fhort-lived flower, which is easily withered. A cultivated mind is a treasure, which increafes every moment; it is a rich foil, which brings forth an hundred fold. A PERSON never appears fo ridiculous by the qualities he has, as by those he affects to have. He gains more by being contented to be feen as he is, than by attempting to appear what he is not. TRUE greatness of foul pays itself, as it were, with its, own hands, by the fatisfaction of doing good. PEOPLE may talk like good Chriftians at their eafe; but pretty fentences, and formal fpeeches, are very trifling remedies to a real and unaffected forrow. THAT little incendiary, called the tongue, is more venomous than a poifoned arrow; and more killing than a two-edged fword. HOW HOW few there are, that can be freely kind, Hence fome, whene'er they would oblige, offend, KNOW that wherever love and virtue guide, THE princely pine, on hills exalted, By winds long brav'd at last affaulted, Is head-long whirl'd in duft to lie; Whilft the mild rofe, more fafely growing Low in its unafpiring vale, Amidst retirement's fhelter blowing, Exchanges fweets with every gale. IMITATION of the 126th PSALM.. 1 WHEN God reveal'd his gracious name, 2 The world beheld the glorious change, 3 Great is the work, my neighbours cry'd Great is the work, my heart reply'd, 4 The 4 The Lord can change the darkest skies, 5 Let thofe that fow in sadness wait, 'Till the fair harvest come; They fhall confefs their fheaves are great, A MIND formed upon the principles of the gospel, may look down with contempt upon the luftre of a throne, and yet know the value, and feel a sense of gratitude, in the poffeffion of a crumb. The most exalted fituation in the prefent life is expofed, yea, pro bably moft expofed, to the fafcinating allurements of temptation; and whofoever fhall look heedfully upon thofe who are eminent for their riches, will not think their condition fuch as that he fhould hazard his quiet, and much less his virtue, to obtain it. The rich and the poor have their hours of forrow, and their intervals of joy; neither poverty nor wealth exempt them from feeling the common calamities of life, nor confer that happiness we fo eagerly purfue, but which we must not experience, till our race is finished, and our work done. WHAT in this life; which foon must end, From fhore to fhore why fhould we run, And overtake us under fail: 'Twill dodge the great man's train behind, Outrun the doe, outfly the wind. INDUSTRY INDUSTRY is needful in every condition of life : we cannot, without it, act in any ftate to the benefit or fatisfaction of others, or to our own advantage and comfort. It is requifite for procuring ease and fatisfaction to the mind, and, if attended with a good confcience, sweetens our enjoyments, and feafons our attainments; and is a guard to innocence, and a bar to temptation. A PERSON under the influence and temper of the gofpel, will fay with gratitude and joy, "I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content " In the most trying circumftances, I have a fure and certain promife, that my bread fhall be given, and my water fhall be fure; and if I am not favoured with all the elegancies of life, yet I am confident that the God whom I ferve, will afford me fuch temporary fupplies, as fhall be moft conducive to my own happinefs and his glory. TRUE religion will fhew its influence in every part of our conduct; it is like the fap of a living tree, which penetrates to the most distant boughs. ACTION keeps the foul in conftant health, but idlenefs corrupts and rufts the mind; for a man of great abilities may by negligence and idleness become fo ufclefs, as to be an incumbrance to fociety, and a burthen to himself. HE is the moft worthy of poffeffing riches, who knows best how to do without them. KEEP no company with a man who is given to detraction; to hear him patiently, is to partake of his guilt, and prompt him to a continuance in that vice, which all good men fhun him for. THOU fhalt not curfe the deaf, Lev. xix. 14. Those that are abfent are deaf; they cannot right them selves, and therefore fay no ill of them. HAPPY are those who can see the beauty of virtue! --Is it poffible to fee her, without loving her? Is it poffible to love her, without being happy? Seeking Seeking for HAPPINESS. NOT all that parent earth can give, And gay attire, and ev'ry good, With all that maketh rich and great; A man much happier than a brute: Where then fhall happiness be found? And give me, Lord! true confidence, Replace them, Lord, with gratitude! } RELIGION, the balm of life, the anchor of hope, the difpeller of fears, the haven of reft, will carry us into the arms of him, who is mighty to fave from every trouble. |