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fused to others, become unprofitable to the owner. To be enjoyed, they must be communicated, and taken upon the rebound.

Let us now, therefore, conduct our candidate for happiness back into fociety, with his poffeffions and talents, and let us fhew him, how he must employ them, for the attainment of his end. They may be employed to the prejudice, they should be employed for the benefit of his fellow creatures, or he will live and die in a ftate of difappointment and vexation.

Power, by the little fatisfaction it otherwife affords, will quickly convince him to whom it has been committed, that it was not given to gratify himself at the expence of those under his command, but to be exercised for their advantage. Heroes were thought, of old, to be the fons of the Deity. But he did not fend them from above, to feize and divide kingdoms, to ravage provinces, to fack towns, and deftroy the unfortunate. They came to relieve mifery, to fuccour distress, and to be a bleffing to their fellow-citizens and countrymen. Sometimes, indeed, they could not become fuch, but by refifting and vanquishing their common enemies. But the glory of conqueft is always ftained with blood. It can only be acquired by carnage and death. Many may rejoice and triumph; but many muft mourn and be undone. Glory, pure and fpotlefs, is that which refults from fe licity procured and bestowed.

Wherein confifteth the happiness attendant on wealth? In the toil with which it is acquired? As reafonably might we fearch after it in the mines, or in the galleys. In contemplating it, when acquired? The world itself, for once, paffes a right judgment, and despiseth the wretch who feeks it there. In hazarding it at the gaming table? The pleasures afforded by the rack are as eligible. The difcipline of eaftern hermits was mild and indulgent, compared with the pains and penances, the anxieties and horrors, with which thofe vigils are kept. In procuring the means of riot and excefs ? But they prey upon the ftrength, and deprefs the spirits. If the rich man would enjoy a found mind in a healthy body (and who can be called happy that doth not?) he mult live like the poor man; he must attain and preferve them by temperance and exercife, that is, by labour and abftinence, abftinence from food of fuch quality, and in fuch quantity, as his appetite would provoke him to take down.

We are told of a philofopher, who threw his money into the fea, left it fhould corrupt it's mafter. The action has been much applauded, but it may be queftioned whether it afforded any proof of his proficiency. Rightly used, others might have been the better, himself the happier, and not the less virtuous, for it.

On a like principle, for many centuries, numbers of Chriftians, in order to be perfect, left all, and retired into the wilderness. Indeed, in thofe dreadful days, when, under the heathen emperors, the furnace of perfecution was heated seven times more than it was wont to be heated, we can blame none who endeavoured to

get

get out of the reach of fuch tremendous flames.

What began by neceffity, was afterwards continued by choice. To avoid a defeat, the foldiers of Jefus betook themselves to flight. But, furely, the Christian hero should engage and conquer. He who is furnished with the ability to do good, fhould continue in the world, where good is to be done. The man of opulence, what is he but flew. ard to the fovereign Proprietor of all things? It cannot be his duty to forfake thofe of the houfhold over which he is placed; and it should be his delight to take care of them. God grudges him not the neceffaries, the conveniences, the comforts of life for himself; but only directs him, wifely and gracioufly directs him, to promote his Lord's glory, and his own happiness, by extending his concern to all around him. He who, in fuch circumftances, will not be perfuaded so to do, should recollect, that the hour is coming, and muft foon come, when it fhall be faid unto him, by a meffenger, who will admit no excufe, and brook no delay, "Give an account of thy ftewardship, for thou mayeft be no longer " fteward."

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The talents of the mind, whether natural, acquired, or infused from above, stand on the foot with power and riches. They are given, as an apostle informs us," to profit withal" to profit others; to lead men into the paths of wisdom and virtue, of re. ligion and piety. Genius and learning, employed, for a long courfe of years, in feducing the ininds of men to infidelity, and exciting their paffions to vice, afford but a melancholy retrofpect to declining age. The bittereft reflection we can have to make in our last hours, is this, that mankind are the worse for us; next to it is the reflection, that they are not the better. Wouldeft thou, then, be bleffed in thy mental endowments? Take care that thy brethren be bleffed by them.

Thus hath God ordained it to be, in every inflance.

Nor can

it be otherwise, if the bleffedness of man confifteth in a resem blance of his Maker. He is himself the moft beneficient of beings, and he is the happieft. He giveth all, and he can receive nothing, but the humble acknowledgments, the grateful praifes of his crea tures. He openeth his hand, and filleth all things living with plenteousness. The eyes of all wait upon him, the whole family in heaven and earth looketh up to him for a fupply of every want, and he giveth them their food in due feafon. He clothes the paftures with flocks, the hills with woods, the gardens with flowers, and the vallies with corn. By him, through him, in him, we live, and move, and have our being. Power, riches, and wif dom are his, and they are all exerted for the good of man. He is mighty; but he is mighty to fave his riches are the riches of mercy and grace: and his wifdom plans our welfare. He would have all men to be faved, and to come to a knowledge of the truth. He is pleased to reprefent his own happiness as depending on that of his people: he is defcribed as rejoicing, when it is VOL. XIX. Dec. 1796.

well

well with them; as grieving, when it is otherwise. book, which fo defcribes him, be other than divine?

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Can the

If the glory of the Godhead be too dazzling an object for the eyes of frail mortality ftedfaftly to behold, view that glory veiled in human nature. Confider the author and finifher of our falvation, Chrift Jefus. He gave himself for us. He came down from heaven to give life to the world, from which he received only perfecution, forrow, pain, and death. forded him by his employment was an overbalance for all his fuf. Yet the delight af ferings. It was his refreshment, and his fupport, through the courfe of his pilgrimage. "father's will, and to finifh his work." He "went about, doing My meat," faith he, "is to do my "good." His life was ever active, and ever useful. Living, he preached, wherever he came, the doctrine of falvation; dying, he bore his last teftimony to it's truth. For the fuffering of death crowned with honour, invefted with all power, and feated at the right hand of the majefty in the heavens, like his bright re presentative in the firmament, he diffufes light and life unto the ends of the earth; he reigns and fhines for the benefit of the world: and, in fo doing, he is pronounced and proclaimed, by every creature, blessed for evermore.'

』་

GOING TO THE HOUSE OF GOD.

WHAT

HATE'ER the giddy world conceive
Of vanities below,

I only for those pleasures live
That lafting joy bestow,
(How oft my contemplative muse
This favourite theme has fung,
As haply I was wont to rove
My native fhades among!)

My willing feet how swift they move
A long and dangerous way;
(Invited by a Saviour's love,)
I tread with no dismay;
Eager to gain the bleft retreat,
Where richest comfort flows,

And hear the found of tidings sweet

His meffengers disclose:

That balm to heal the wounded mind
When needful cares oppress,

Those cares almighty love defign'd
To lead to happiness.

For human ills, if ills they be,
From Him in mercy flow:

That Man his real good may fee,
And all his weakness knew.

Misfortune,

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Misfortune, with her fullen brow,
My former days have known;
And many an hour, furcharg'd with woe,
Has coft me many a groan.

But from on high a voice I heard,
Sweeter than angels' fong,

Whence truths divine my bofom cheer'd,
And praise inspir'd my tongue.
Olet that tongue for ever bless
The kind, the dark decree:
It was a fanctified distress,

And brought new joys to me.
Affliction oft but ferves to hide
Some good as yet unknown;
Faith turns the myftic veil afide,
And finds it all her own.

[Mrs. CowPER.

AN ELEGIAC CANZONET.

By R. W. SOUTHWELL.
AIL, penfive Mufe! and lonely fhades
Where Melancholy reigns!

While gloomy Death my foul pervades,
And wretchednefs obtains.

From mortal ken fain would I dwell,
There in fome lowly vale,

My burthen'd mind with grief would tell
Her dolorific tale.

Where audience philofophic reigns,
Yea, Nature's foothing powers,
In broken accents! Mournful flrains!
I'd spend my fleeting hours.

No rural sports should break the peace
Throughout the paffing day,

Nor vain allurements ever chafe,
Or interrupt my lay.

For Nature gently hufh'd around
Should all attention be,

And filence,midnight and profound,
Would aid my destiny.

There would I mourn a much lov'd Child,
Who fcarce one luftre ran,

Beauteous in form, in temper mild;

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A first and only Son.

The morning blush adorn'd his face,
And health beam'd from his eye;
His infant accents flow'd with grace:
Why was he born to die?

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His fparkling orbs are clos'd, and night,
The fhades of night prevail.

Death, murdering Death! fo cruel, --- why
So lavish of thy power?

What could induce thee to deftroy

This fair and beauteous flower?

To damp its vigour, chill its bloom,
And triumph o'er its fall,

To veil its rifing fun fo foon,
And rob us of our all?

But why fhould I from man retreat,
Since the lov❜d Child is not,
And lonely pour out my complaint
In fome fequefter'd spot ?

No gloomy fhades can chafe my grief,
Nor calm content infufe,

Nor to my fpirit give relief;
Some other plan I'll chufe.

To thee, dread LORD! I him refign,
My lofs is his great gain;

The lovely gift was wholly thine,
Why then fhould I complain?

AN ACROSTICAL EPITAPH.

REST

--EST, lovely Innocent, from ills to come,`

I--n gentle flumbers and an early tomb.

C--ould parent fondness cease thy fate to mourn,

H--earts then might rend, and blood bedew thy Urn.
A--ll the fair graces that enrich the mind

R--ofe with thy growth and were in thee conjoin'd.
D-ifeafe, alas! has brought thee to the duft,
S--poil'd thy fair ftructure, and diflodg'd it's gueft.
O--f lineage high --- tranfcriptive heir of GOD,
U--pborne by Angels to their bright abode,
T--O JESU's Throne; -- where myftic deeds engage
H--is active thoughts, mature beyond his age.
W--here the fweet Seraph foon I hope to fee,
E--mbrace and dwell with-in the DEITY.
L--o! this laft tribute: --- we can give no more,
Lov'd much in life, much we his lofs deplore.

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