last, and the apprehension of distant consequences ceases to influence the conduct: Whenever we place our happiness, not in the good feelings of the heart, but in the lively impressions of the senses, every virtue becomes disgusting, and dull; the child leaves its aged parents to solitude, and disease; the mother, ashamed of her advancing years, deserts her children :-The father flies from the gloomy sameness of his family, and every beautiful feeling is erased from the heart;-the appearance} of misery excites not a desire to relieve, but anger at the intrusion of disagreeable sensations, a feeling of injury at the interruption of elegant pleasure: In the midst of these pleasures, in the full current of thoughtless joy, I pray you for one moment pause; it is not much to give to salvation, to virtue, and to wisdom; for one moment pause, and think on the motley destiny of man; not far from the scenes of your joy, are crowded together the children of labor, and sorrow, and of affliction; did you ever}} seek that cure of dissipation? Did you ever appal your heart? Did you ever beat { down your gaiety to the dust, by the near

aspect, and approach of the misery of man? not such, as it is painted in books, but such as you may find it, at this instant, not a span's length from this very spot; dissipation can never endure such tremendous sights as these; the very walls seem to cry out, why have you forgotten these wretched people in the midst of your pleasures; the sight of a poor man's dwelling, the food he eats, the bed on which he lies, these things scare, and admonish the voluptuous. heart, more than all the ministers of God. Yet think not that these sights destroy pleasure, they are the only passport to pleasure; first deserve it, then enjoy it; go, strengthen infirmity, heal disease, lighten the load of human misery, pay back, in humanity, the loan of opulence, then say to your heart, go to now, enjoy pleasure, I will prove thee with mirth; and then, only, you will escape the sad conclusion :-This also is vanity.

The love of expence is not one of the least miseries consequent upon dissipation; it produces meanness, dishonesty, and unhappiness; the mind must be at ease for the cultivation of virtue, and there can' be no tranquillity where such a constant

and

struggle is maintained between penury, ostentation, where every thing is splendour without, and distress within, where the world is to be deceived, and the melancholy reflection supported, that the means of solid comfort are daily sacrificed to idle, and unsubstantial parade. The dictates of common sense, and the feelings of nature are never violated with impunity; the most intolerable of all sensations is that of constant self reproach; to feel that days, and months, and years, are gliding away without leaving to us any acquisition of virtue, or of knowledge; that our resolutions of amendment, are never proof against temptation, that our life is passing on, without utility. to others, or dignity to ourselves; this is the bitterness of soul, which riseth up when the head is crowned with flowers, and the wine mantleth in the cup; this is the hand-writing on the wall, at the sight of which the spirit of a man fainteth within him, as did the spirit of Belshazzar the king, when he feasted with his thousand lords.

Is it possible, I may ask, in speaking of dissipation, is it possible that we, who

are daily enlightened by the sublime morality, and perfect example of Christ, can we believe that the whole order of nature was reversed, and the stupendous prodigy of revelation exhibited to the earth, to clothe with immortality a wretched being that has trifled away seventy years of existence, and who is only loosened from the bonds of folly by corruption, and death? Do you think it is to be threescore and ten years of mirth, an hour of repentance, and an eternity of joy? By what courtesy are you exempted from the curse of Adam? Has God given to one the sweat, and the toil, and to another the smell of the blossom, the shadow of the leaf, and the taste of the fruit? This life is, to every description, and condition of human beings, a life of labour, and exertion; of labour, either of body or of mind. The labour of the rich is to combat their passions, to fortify their virtues, to study, and to follow the law of the gospel, to prepare themselves diligently for another, and a better state of existence, to turn their leisure to the cultivation of knowledge, and the improvement of human happiness, to take advantage of their condition, by being

exemplary, as they are eminent, courteous, as they are elevated, bounteous, as they are rich, by making themselves the protectors of the distressed, and the stewards of the poor; with these general habits of life, there are times when a wearied mind, and body, when the social feelings, when reason itself, call for, and justify relaxation, and joy; the pleasures of the good, are as dear to God, as their prayers; he is with them in the house of joy, and in the temple of religion; he is in the midst of them, wherever they are gathered together; through him they are happy without fear, and without reproach; and while they prove their hearts with mirth, they are not compelled to add, that this also is vanity, and sorrow.