But at present, I mean to confider the world in ́neither of these lights, but to hold it out merely

as a kind of exhibition of the nature of a future world. Of this, it is true, it gives us but a dim reflected image; but yet enough to engage our admiration, and ftimulate both our hopes and fears. The invifible things of God, the text tells us, are clearly feen by the things that are madethat is, we may clearly make out the analogy between them.

In the various modes of animal enjoyment here, we fee enough to convince us of the inclination our great Creator has to promote our happiness hereafter. On the other hand, we fee enough of evil, to convince us, that as mifery, as well as happiness, is held out in this world, it may naturally be expected in the next.

We fee, farther, various inftances of beauty and deformity, both in the animal and vegetable world. We are led therefore to conceive highly of the beauty of angelic forms; while, on the other hand, the various degrees of deformity furnish us with conceptions of the great power of an Almighty hand, in giving wickedness. hereafter thofe hideous appearances which may beft fuit its nature.

Laftly, though the beft of men have much ground for unhappiness, when they confider their inability to act up to their known duty; yet fometimes fuch heartfelt joy-fuch bright rays of hope spread over their minds; that if their depreffions are the fenfations of future mifery, their happier moments give them a foretaste of future happiness.

Thus God hath given us various emblems in this world, of what we may expect in the next. They are leffons, which certainly have useful morals. The world is full of analogies; and analogy is one of the best comments on the works of God.

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humbled. Indeed, if this rule were only a precept of worldly prudence, it would be highly useful. He who exalts himself, is sure to lose his end. People like to abase pride and felf-fufficiency. When the foldier trumpets his own gallant actions, he may probably meet ridicule, when he expects praife: or when a man boasts of his generosity, he sets his own value upon it, and nobody will be difpofed to bid over him.

But though felf-exaltation in a worldly fenfe is very disgusting, yet when it appears in religion, it destroys the very effence of all religious duty.

The

The true Chriftian temper confifts in a humble mortified sense of ourselves; and in a full reliance on the grace of God for affiftance, and the merits of Chrift for pardon. Humility is indeed the grand point of Chriftian ethics. On no fubject does our bleffed Saviour dilate more: and indeed his whole life was only one great comment on his inftructions. A life humbled to the last degree on earth preceded his exaltation in heaven. The amazing condefcenfion of the example, certainly fhews the great importance of the precept

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HIS awful commandment has a wider extent than many people are inclined to give it. Swearing, curfing, blafphemy, and perjury, are out of the question. Nobody can pretend to the name of a Chriftian, who does not hold in abhorrence these deterring modes of taking God's name in vain.

But many who would wish to be thought good people, allow themselves, without fcruple, to invoke their Maker's name on various trifling occafions. On fome little furprize, they will cry out, Good God! or Gracious God! or, if they make any

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