He that sees ever so accurately into the motives of other people's actions, may possibly be, in a great measure, ignorant of his own.

It is the best and safest rule to walk by, to be severe and rigid in judging ourselves, and to be very meek and charitable to our brother.

Love operates stronger than fear in producing uniform obedience.

TO THE RICH.-Your fortune, perhaps, has removed you from the necessity of labouring for your bread; you have been politely educated, you have no trade or employment to take up your time, and so are left to be disordered by corrupt passions and pleasures. Whilst poor people are at hard labour, whilst your servants are drudging in the meanest offices of life, you, oppressed with idleness and indulgence, are relieving yourself with foolish and improper books, feeding and delighting a disordered mind with romantic nonsense and poetic follies. If this be the effect of riches and fortune, only to expose people to the power of disordered passions, and give them time to corrupt their hearts with madness and folly, well might our blessed Lord say, "Woe unto you that are rich!"

How little do we know what to wish for!-how often is the gratification of our desires attended with mortifying reflections! and how frequently are the very disappointments at which we murmur, productive of happy consequences!

Who does not know, that a man may give all his goods to feed the poor, and yet want charity? But will any one therefore conclude, that another may keep all his goods to himself, and yet have charity.

For a man to say, he is lowly in heart, whilst he is seeking the ornaments, dignities and show of life, is the same absurdity as for a man to say, he is of a meek and forgiving spirit, whilst he is seeking and revenging quarrels.

No circumstances of life can hinder us from being examples of piety and goodness, and making our lives a lesson of instruction to all that are about us; and he that lives an exemplary life, though his state be ever so poor and mean, is largely contributing to the salvation of others, and proving himself the best follower of his Lord and Master.

A man that has his head and his heart taken up with worldly concerns, can no more love God with all his soul and with all his strength, than a man with his eyes upon the ground, can be looking towards heaven with all the strength of his sight.

Joy and sorrow constantly attend on our pursuits; but are uncertain in the periods of their visitations. The royal Psalmist has declared, that it was good for him that he was afflicted; and Solomon has also borne his testimony, that it was better to go to the house of mourning than of feasting.

Were there no sin in pampering ourselves with our

riches, our Saviour had not said, "Wo unto you that are rich, for ye have received your consolation."

Had a delight in the splendour and greatness of this life been an innocent delight for people of birth and fortune, our Saviour had never said, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."

Had worldly mirth, and the noisy joys of splendour and equipage, been any part of the happiness of Christians, our Saviour had never said, "Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted."

In that unaffected civility which springs from a well-regulated and gentle mind, there is a charm more powerful than in all the studied manners of the most finished courtier.

He that is taught to live upon little, owes more to his father's wisdom, than he that has a great deal left him, to his father's care.

They that soar too high often fall hard, which makes a low and level dwelling preferable.

He that would be master of his own, must not be bound for another.

When covetousness once gets possession of the heart, it will let no good principle flourish near it.

By the unhappy excesses of irregular pleasures in youth, how many amiable dispositions are corrupted or

destroyed! How many rising capacities and powers are suppressed! How many flattering hopes of parents and friends are totally extinguished! Who but must drop a tear over human nature, when he beholds that morning, which arose so bright, overcast with such untimely darkness, and the youth cut off by his vices at the beginning of his course; or sunk for the whole of it into insignificancy and contempt? These, O sinful pleasure! are thy trophies.

A good man may seek, by fair industry, to render his circumstances easy and plentiful: he may bestow a considerable portion of his time and attention on the successful management of his worldly interests; all this is within the limits of that allowable use of the world, to which religion gives its sanction. But, to a wise and good man, the world is only a secondary object; he remembers there is an eternity beyond it; his care is, not merely to amass and possess, but to use his possessions well, as one who is an accountable being he is not a slave, either to the hopes or the fears of the world-he would rather forfeit any present advantage, than obtain it at the expense of violating the divine law, or neglecting his duty. This is using the world like a good man; this is living in it a a subject of the Almighty, a member of the great com munity of mankind. To such a man riches are a blessing; he may enjoy them, but he will use them with liberality. They open a wide field to the exertions of his virtue, and allow it to shine with diffusive lustre.

Those persons who are most engaged in active la

bours for the benefit of others, will find peculiar need for frequent retirement. In their closets, they must draw down from the fountain of love, by faith and prayer, that spiritual strength, and those heavenly graces, which alone can enable them to labour perseveringly, as well as patiently, for Christ's sake. The present times, which are so happily characterized by religious exertion, render this duty highly needful. It is no uncommon thing to hear excellent persons complain, that their whole time is nearly divided between their avocations and the claims of multiplying societies; thus leaving little or no leisure for the important duty of Christian retirement. Hence spirituality of mind is much injured, from the constant bustle in which some benevolent persons live. They have frequent cause to join in the lamentation of the spouse in the Canticles: "They made me a keeper of vineyards; but mine own vineyard have I not kept;"-but it never was the design of infinite wisdom that one duty should extirpate another. As everything is beautiful in its season, so there is a time for everything. The art of doing much, consists in giving to every duty its proper place, time, and quantity.

It is highly important to young persons to be careful in the choice of friends and companions: this choice is too frequently made without thought, or is determined by some casual connexions; and yet, very often, the whole of their future life may be influenced by it. The circumstances which chiefly attract the liking and the friendship of youth, are vivacity, good humour, an engaging manner, and a cheerful and easy temper; qualities amiable in themselves, and useful