Finally, he speaks to him, and O that "he would attend !-he speaks to him in "the most emphatical manner, by that exprefs revelation he has made of his

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"will in the holy Scriptures: by Moses, "and by the Prophets, by CHRIST, and by "his Apostles; by the Law, and by the Gospel,"

By thefe, and many other ways, does GOD fpeak and addrefs himself to mankind and whatever he fays to us by any of these ways, we should diligently weigh and ponder in our minds;-especially what is faid and revealed by the ministry of the Gospel. For here Wisdom truly cries, and Understanding exerts her voice. Because, here the eternal wisdom of the Father, the divine Logos himself, the fecond perfon in the glorious Trinity, who is the great luminary of the intellectual

world, affuming our nature, and becoming, as it were, a fenfible light, condefcends to inftruct us after the manner of men ;

to teach us our duty in the most familiar terms to lead us to the performance of it by his own example and to encourage us to follow him by the most alluring rewards. And confidering the qualifications of this great inftructor-his acquaintance with the human heart, and the propriety of his applications—what fruit might we not expect from the seed fown by fo fkilful an hand? But, as at the first, the cares of life-thofe thorns. nd briers-choaked the word in fome, and its vain pleasures-thofe fowls of the air-devoured it up in others; even fo it is now. The vanities and follies of every kind, which engaged those who lived before us, ftill prevail, through our own negligence, in equal degree over ourselves—

work

work upon our affections-and bring us into captivity to the law of fin. We, as well as they, would fain indeed excuse our faults, and palliate our crimes under the cover of infirmities. For how ofte do we hear it alleged, that the world is fo fraught with temptations on every fide, and our appetites are fo eager to embrace them, that it is next to impoffible to maintain our ground, and keep from falling, in fuch circumftances? But, what is this in effect, but to charge GoD foolishly; and defend our own wickedness at the expence of divine goodness, and certainly at the expence of truth? For, if the world is adapted to work upon our paffions, is it not equally adapted to work upon our reafon too? If it fupplies us with incentives to vice, does it not afford us as strong motives and encouragements to virtue?

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tue? Indeed, if properly confidered, it moves and perfuades us to nothing else.

For look into its various parts, and confider their several tendencies, do they not all refer us ultimately to GOD, and remind us daily of our duty to Him? Do they not all suggest to us the most noble subjects for prayer and meditation, and tend to make our whole lives a continued series of devotion? No fooner does the fun rife to our view, and create the day for us, but it awakens the thoughts of every serious foul, and brings to his remembrance that fun of righteousness, who chased away the darkness of error, and enlightened the world with the knowledge of falvation. And, whilst we enjoy the light of the day, are we not put in mind of the work of the day, the important work of him that sent us, which must be done before it is night?

-Does

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of the

-Does not every clock that we hear strike -founding the knell of departed hoursinform us of the neceffity of doing it speedily, and setting about it without delay ? How forcibly does the Spring, that season year, in which we prepare and cultivate the ground for the future crop we expect from it; excite us to improve the feafon of youth, that feed-time of life in which we receive those actuating principles, that afterwards govern our maturer conduct? For it is as true in the moral, as in the natural fenfe, that whatsoever a man foweth, that shall he also reap.-Can the aged and hoary head-lift up his eyes, and look on the fields, all white and ready for harvest; and not question himself, and with anxious concern, whether he stands in the field of life, among the tares or among the wheat? knowing that death will fhortly come, and cut him down, either

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