only a vaft irregular fabric; and the course of human affairs no more than a confufed fucceffion of fortuitous events; all nature is beautified, and every agreeable incident is enlivened, to him who beholds God in all things. Hence arife a variety of pleafing fenfations, to fill up thofe folitary hours, in which external profperity supplies him with no entertainment. In the finiling scenes of nature, he contemplates the benignity of its author. In its fublime objects, he admires his majefty. In its awful and terrible ones, he adores his power. He dwells in this world as in a magnificent temple, which is full of the glory of its founder; and every where views nature offering up its incenfe to him, from a thoufand altars.Such ideas exalt and ennoble the human mind; and reflect an additional luftre on the brightness of profperity.

From the profperous, let us next turn to the afflicted condition of a good man. For as prosperity may, affliction certainly will, at one time or other, be his lot. It enters into the appointed trial of his virtue; and, in one degree or other, is the doom of all.

various fituations occur, in

Here we fhall find which no relief is

equal to what a virtuous and holy man derives from a fenfe of the perpetual prefence of God.

Is he, for inftance, thrown into an obfcure condition in the world, without friends to affift him, or any to regard and confider his eftate? He enjoys the fatisfaction of thinking, that though he may be neglected by men, he is not forgotten by God. Inconfiderable as he is in himself, he knows, that he will not be overlooked by the Almighty, amidst the infinite variety of being, or loft in the immenfity of his works. The poor man can, with as much encouragement as the rich or great, lift up his eyes to heaven, and say, Nevertheless, O Lord, I am continually with thee: Thou holdeft me by my right hand. The gracious prefence of that Supreme Being is affected by no diverfity of rank or fortune. It imparts itself alike to all the virtuous and upright; like its glorious image, the fun in the firmament, which fheds its rays equally upon the humble cottage, and upon the palace of kings. In the prefence of the great Lord of heaven and earth, all the diftinctions which vanity has contrived to make among men, totally disappear. All ranks are on one level. The rich and the poor here indeed meet together; without any other distinction than what arifes from the heart and the foul. The fenfe of this, lifts the poor man above contempt; fupports his fpirits when apt to be dejected; and bestows dignity on the part which he acts. How inconfiderable

foever that part may appear in the estimation of an injudicious world, it is ennobled, when virtuously performed, by the approbation of his divine witness. He can bear with indifference the fcorn of the proud, as long as he knows that there is one higher than the highest to regard him. He can enjoy himself with pleasure in his mean habitation, because he believes that God dwells with him there. The Divine prefence cheers to him the most lonely retreat. It accompanies his steps to the most diftant regions of the earth. If he fhould be driven into exile from all his friends, and obliged to dwell in the uttermoft parts of the fea, even there God's hand would hold him, and his right hand would guide him. Though left without companion or friend, he never thinks himself defolate, as long as he can fay, I am still with God.

COMMUNION WITH GOD.

WE all know that to communicate our grief

to a faithful friend, often gives ease and relief to the burdened heart. Such communication we are encouraged to make, and such relief we may expect to find, in pouring out our heart before that God in whom compaffions flow.

We

may have no earthly friend to whom we can with full confidence difclofe all our forrows; or we may want words in which to exprefs them. But God is the fearcher of all hearts; and the hearer of all prayers. To the fecret anguifh of the foul, he is no inattentive witnefs. Every groan which is heaved from the labouring bofom, though heard by no human ear, reaches his throne. As he knows our frame, so he remembers we are duft; and thence light arifes to the upright in darkness. For the hope naturally springs, that this beneficent being will pity them, as a father pitieth his children; and in the midft of thofe diftreffes which the prefent circumstances of man render unavoidable, will send them help from his january. Surrounded with this compaffionate prefence of the Almighty, good men never view themselves as left in this vale of tears, to bear, folitary and alone, the whole weight of human woe. In their dark, as well as in their brighter hours, God is with them. Even in that valley of the fhadow of death, where no friend, no comforter, can go along to aid them, he is with them ftill. In the last extremity of nature, the rod and Staff of the Shepherd of Ifrael fupport them.

THE PASSIONATE MAN.

[ARDLY a day paffes, without somewhat

HA

or other occurring, which ferves to ruffle the man of impatient spirit. Of course, such a man lives in a continual ftorm. He knows not what it is to enjoy a train of good humour. Servants, neighbours, friends, spouse, and children, all, through the unreftrained violence of his tem per, become fources of disturbance and vexation to him. In vain his affluence; in vain are health and profperity. The leaft trifle is fufficient to difcompofe his mind, and poison his pleasures. His very amusements are mixed with turbulence and paffion,

I would beseech this man to confider, of what fmall moment the provocations which he receives, or at least imagines himself to receive, are really in themselves; but of what great moment he makes them, by fuffering them to deprive him of the poffeffion of himself. I would befeech him to confider, how many hours of happiness he throws away, which a little more patience would allow hin to enjoy; and how much he puts it in the power of the most insignificant persons to render him miferable. "But who can expect," we hear him exclaim, " that he is to poffefs the in" fenfibility