to speak to every man in fome fuch language as this: "Remember, child of mortality, that the night is coming, when no man can work: "whatever, therefore, be thy province in "life, or whatever thy fituation, discharge "the duties of it with care and fidelity. "Form not idle schemes of future happiness or possible advantage, but employ the pre"fent moment well. Let not life glide away infenfibly in torpidity or indifference, "but call forth all thy powers to their 66 pro per ufe. Every day brings its peculiar task, "which, if neglected, is doubled on the fucceeding day; and perhaps that fucceeding day may never arrive to thee. Nor vainly imagine, that any rank or degree can ex 66 empt thee from the duties of humanity : "all are neceffary in fome way or other, and "muft contribute their fhare to the move ment of the great machine of the world." The employments indeed of life are as various as the changes and chances of it: fome are doomed to more painful scenes, the labour of the body and the hardships of animal fuffering: fuffering: others to the cultivation of the mind, and its feveral powers, in fpeculative industry: to fome are delegated the reins of power: to others are trufted the stores of affluence. But all have many duties, which they owe to themfelves, and many, which they owe to others; and, therefore, all are required to be active and diligent in their feveral stations, and to fulfil their deftined talk, before the night approacheth. Is any man, for example, called to fervile employ, to toil for others? It is his duty to labour with chearfulnefs for the fupport of himself and the benefit of the public. And though he may earn his bread with the fweat of his brow, yet let him not repine: it will be fweeter to him, if eaten with a contented heart, than all the delicacies of pampered luxury. Should he fometimes think it hard to toil in the vale of obfcurity, let him remember that he is treading in the footsteps of his Saviour, who was lowly and of no reputation, and that his station is the appoint ment of a wife God, who ordereth all things in number, weight, and measure. And though others may have many bleffings which he he wants, yet he is also free from many inconveniencies to which they are fubject. He is exempt from the dangerous fnares of ambition, which lead thoufands into anxiety and ruin: he has no tedious hours of indolence to four his temper: he has no constitution shattered by intemperance and nocturnal revels, to bring mifery upon himself, and entail it upon his pofterity: in a word, he may have the comfort of competence and a good confcience here, and be eternally happy hereafter. It becomes him, therefore, to difcharge the duties of his humble ftation with chearfulness, modefty, and diligence. Is any man free from the neceffity of bodily labour? Still let him not think himself privileged to do nothing, or, what is worfe, to do evil. The very infect that flutters in the funshine for a few moments, has its peculiar task allotted by infinite wifdom: furely, therefore, an immortal nature cannot be left without its proper destination. His work, indeed, is different from that of the neceffitous, but his duty is equal. For the more leifure he has from bodily toil, though providence has wifely made fome degree of that neceffary for every : man, man, the more he is bound to improve his mind in knowledge and virtue. Nor let him think his task either eafy or trifling. Knowledge is of great value, and therefore is not to be attained without proportionable labour. It does not, as too many seem to think, lie upon the furface, within the grafp of every carelefs and fortuitous paffenger. If we would obtain it, we muft dig for it as for hidden treasure. Nor fhall we ever want fufficient employment. The ftores of natural knowledge, the wonders of the heavens above and the earth beneath, will afford scope for the most enlarged talents: and, after all, though men will ever find new motives for gratitude, and stronger incentives to piety, in every discovery they make in the natural world, yet they will fall far fhort of finding out the Almighty unto perfection, or of fathoming his works, whose ways are past finding out. Nor are the labours of moral knowledge and virtuous discipline lefs various and difficult. To trace the faculties, operations, and tendencies of the mental powers,-to mark their feveral relations, fubordinations, and uses,-to root out the inveteracy of pre judice, judice, to bend the will, to correct the temper, to fubdue the paffions, to keep the heart with all diligence, to fet a watch before the door of the lips, to lay the foundations of spiritual improvement, and to grow in grace;these are duties which will leave the most unemployed no time to fpare, no abilities to lie wafte. Again, Has any man particular talents entrufted to him by providence? Is he distinguifhed by fuperior abilities, wealth, or influence? Let him not think that no account is to be given of them. No man is born for himself alone: his talents, whatever they are, were given him for the good of others. Does he rife in all the majesty of genius, far above the level of his fellow-creatures? Let him take for his pattern the great and incomparable Newton, whofe abilities were always employed, through a long life, to improve men in knowledge or happinefs; to discover the means of promoting their present conveniency by useful inventions; to explain the difficulties under which lower conceptions labour; to defend the cause of truth; to promote the interests of virtue and religion. Does he |