recollection of what you then felt; and forget not to renew those sentiments in health, which were so powerful in the time of sickness. For, surely, you can want no conviction, that God is able at this instant to cause your frame to relapse into the same disorder, or to afflict you with one more severe and therefore, though "God may not be in all your thoughts," yet are you continually under his guidance. He guards you with his watchful care when you are sunk into sleeping insensibility. Should you not, therefore, most ardently commend yourself to his protection, before you "give sleep to your eyes or slumber to your eyelids ?"

Every moment of continued health, or prolonged life, depends on the will of your Creator; and when you see so many objects of distress suffering around you, remember that it affords no cause for exultation; but should inspire a spirit of humility, in the consideration that you are liable to the same evils, and that, for the advantage of a better constitution, not unto you, not unto any mortal power, but unto your preserving God should be the praise.

It is sometimes seen, that the vivacity of

youth is apt to be displeased with those who are rendered more serious by a state of continued indisposition: and some there are (with concern do I make the observation) who can treat with contemptuous ridicule, those misfortunes which, adding deformity to inconvenience and pain, make the unhappy objects deserving of peculiar pity. But let them blush for shame at a meanness of conduct, which bespeaks the heart to be at once ungenerous, inhuman, ungrateful, and impious: for surely no person of true generosity would reproach or deride those defects which cannot arise from error or guilt in the afflicted sufferer, and in regard to which they must be entirely passive. Nor is it more consistent with the gentle feelings of humanity, to increase the bitterness of unavoidable affliction, by the sarcastic triumph of boasted superiority. If there is any conduct which may be justly charged with ingratitude, it must be in that unworthy use of divine endowments, which would endeavour to mortify the less happy. To such minds may we direct the emphatical inquiry of the Apostles on another occasion, "What hast thou that thou hast not re

ceived? and who made thee to differ from another?" And what a disingenuous disposition does it indicate, to be proud of the favours of Providence, and yet despise those whom that same Providence has depressed! It adds, therefore, the crime of impiety to the black catalogue we have enumerated; because it is in effect a censure of the Divine Administration, whose wisdom has thought fit so to order the condition of his creatures; and who bestows beauty and strength, or allots deformity and weakness, as best suits with the plan of his all-gracious government. Whoever, therefore, can allow themselves thus to ridicule the unhappy, should reflect on the evil consequence, and the guilt which is attendant on such an inconsiderate habit. warn you, my young reader, to consider these important arguments, and neither by your countenance nor example, give a sanction to a behaviour so entirely inconsistent with the spirit of that faith you profess, or of that Master whose name you bear. The blessings of your heavenly Father are to be received with thanksgiving, not as an ab. solute gift, which can excite any pride in

Let me

the possessor, but as a sacred talent deposi ed in your hands, to be improved to the valuable purpose of promoting your own happiness, and the pleasure of others. But in the disposition of his mercies, he has reserved to himself the right of resuming them whenever he shall judge it proper; either to correct your failings, excite a stronger sense of his goodness, or as a trial of your fortitude and resignation. In every state the will of God must determine the duration of your comforts; but if you wish to deserve their continuance, it must be by an humble and thankful enjoyment of them; by a constant recollection from whence, they proceed; and by a diligent improvement of every advantage, whether natural or acquired, whether temporal or spiritual, to the increase of benevolent affections towards your fellow creatures, and of sincere piety and gratitude to the Deity.

473

SUNDAY XXV.

ON THE BLESSINGS OF REDEMPTION.

I must again, my young friend, entreat the favour of your candid attention, while I renew the important subject of Gratitude to God. Hitherto we have considered only such obligations as respect the present life ; let us now extend our views to those more important instances of his goodness, which "has blessed us in heavenly things in Christ Jesus," and which, through his merits and intercession, has opened us a way to salvation and glory.

and

The happiness or misery of the present state must soon terminate in death ; therefore good and evil are indiscriminately the portion of the just and unjust; because we are assured in the gospel of truth, that after the conclusion of this scene of trial there will come a day, in which God will judge the world in righteousness, by him whom he hath appointed: whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, "in that he hath raised him from the dead." On the solemn consideration of eternal judgment, the in