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ticed a little before, when I saw this tree growing in full verdure in this place; "I "have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a green bay tree; yet he passed away, and lo, he was not; yea, I sought him, but he could not be "found," Psal. xxxvii. 35, 36.

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Nor will a reflection on their latter end yield the smallest satisfaction to surviving friends or acquaintances; nay, aghast, they rather force off their thoughts from contemplating such a subject. O how needful then is this ardent wish to be adopted by all living, which we find recorded in Moses's song, thus: "O that they were wise, that they un"derstood this, that they would consider their "latter end!" Deut. xxxii. 29.

O that the wicked in a day of prosperity would thus consider their latter end! that if they go on in their evil course, notwithstanding of all their worldly prosperity and grandeur, their end at last will not only fill their friends and acquaintances with awful reflections; but prove beyond description dreadful to themselves; whereas the latter end of the righteous affordeth, not only plea

their head as an helmet the hope of salvation, Ephes. vi. 7., and 1 Thess. v. 8., while under the leaves of their Christian profession, the fruit of the Spirit, which " is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance," groweth in clusters," in all goodness, and righteousness, and truth, and truth," Gal. v. 22, 23., and

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Eph. v. 9.

It is observed of this tree, that it will grow though much oppressed and borne down. Thus did the church in Egypt; the more they afflicted her, the more she multiplied and grew, Exodus i. 12., and so will every true believer; no oppression from their enemies shall prevent their growth in grace; and like the cedar, which spreads wide, and grows very high and strong, yields a delightful savour, is very durable, and in some sort incorruptible; so the righteous spread wide, not only in their holy profession, but also in charity, and in all manner of good works, and grow high, even to perfection, till they all arrive unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ, Eph. iv. 13.; and, like Abraham, are strong in faith, giving glory to God, Rom. iv. 20.,

they endure to the end, smell like Lebanon, and are born of incorruptible seed, Matt. x. 22. Hos. xiv. 6. and 1 Pet. i. 23. May I thus flourish like the palm-tree, and grow like a cedar in Lebanon.

There lies a lofty pine, which the winds have overturned by the roots; the cause of which is, the ground is rather loose, and inclined to moss where it grew; whereas, had it been rooted in firm ground, it might still have been growing in full verdure.

Thus many who profess Christianity, and a strong attachment to the principles of our holy Protestant religion; make a great shew of godliness, and apparently bid fair for the kingdom of heaven; but, owing to the winds of adversity blowing full in their face, or the strong gales of prosperity on their back, are overturned and fall away, Luke viii. 13. and this is owing to their not having been rooted and grounded in Christ Jesus, Eph. iii. 17. Col. ii. 7.

Hear the awful consequence of such an apostasy: "For it is impossible for those "who were once enlightened, and have

" tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made "partakers of the Holy Ghost, and have tast"ed the good word of God, and the powers "of the world to come, if they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; "seeing they crucify to themselves the Son " of God afresh, and put him to an open "shame," Heb. vi. 4, 5, 6.

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But blessed be God, this is not meant of all falls, for a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again, Prov. xxiv. 16. "Though he "fall he shall not utterly be cast down; for "the Lord upholdeth him with his hand," Psalm xxxvii. 24. but of the falling away of those who had arrived at such lengths, and partaken of such blessings as the apostle there describeth; yet how very carefully ought we to comply with the apostle's admonition, "Let him that thinketh he standeth, take "' heed lest he fall." 1 Cor. x. 12.

Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness, 2 Peter iii. 17.

What a ravishing concert is this, all on a sudden struck up over my head! How the little choiristers warble their notes and sing the beauties of spring!

From the midst of yonder flowery hawthorn, the blackbird, cheering his mate, which he tenderly eyes in the task of incubation by the side of the rill, sweetly pipes the symphony; while the wood-lark and thrush, as masters of the song, perch high on the bough, and pour forth their peerless melody through the grove.

How delightful is this place! Amid the harmony of sprays, the sweet smelling crowfoots, and the smiling green which every where flushes the lovely cheek of surrounding nature, where is the man who can indulge himself in carelessness of thought?. Write that man thoughtless indeed, unworthy of the blessings of spring.

But as for thee, O my soul, as the sap of vegetation arises from the root to the top, improving the whole, climb the ladder of nature, contemplate thy God, see his glory

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