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will be no room for inactivity and floth-no room for the too common prefumption of profperity, I fhall ne-. ver be moved-never fee misfortune, forrow, fickness or death.

With the influx of wealth into our country, we ob. ferve, as is ufual, an increase of luxury and diffipation. May our young people be guarded amidst the allurements which furround them. May any, who have erred in the enfnaring path of pleasure, think on the iffue, and turn their feet into virtuous paths. Make hafte, and make no delay to keep God's commandments. Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace; thereby good hall come unto thee.

SERMON XIX.

THE INSTABILITY OF LIFE.

JAMES iv. 13, 14, 15.

GO TO NOW, YE THAT SAY, TO-DAY, OR TO-MORROW, WE WILL GO INTO SUCH A CITY, AND CONTINUE THERE A YEAR, AND BUY, AND SELL, AND GET GAIN: WHEREAS YE KNOW NOT WHAT SHALL BE ON THE MORROW: FOR WHAT IS YOUR LIFE! IT IS EVEN A VAPOUR THAT APPEARETH FOR A LITTLE TIME, AND THEN VANISHETH AWAY. FOR THAT YE OUGHT TO SAY, IF THE LORD WILL, WE SHALL LIVE, AND DO THIS, OR THAT.

THU

HUS the apostle addreffed men who prefumed on future time and opportunity to accomplish their projections for this world. In the first of the verses now read, he gives us their language. To-day, or tomorrow, we will go into fuch a city, and continue there a year, and buy, and fell, and get gain. In the next verfe, he expoftulates with them on their prefumption; as the future events of this world are unknown, and life itself is extremely fhort and precarious. Ye know not what will be on the morrow: For what is your life? It is even a vapour that appeareth for a little time, and then vanifbeth away. He proceeds in the last verse to point out the courfe of duty and wisdom. Te ought to fay, If the Lord will, we fhall live, and do this, or that.

FIRST, Of the confidence of those who prefume on future time and opportunity to accomplish their fecular projections.

Confident of to-morrow, of future years, they calculate on ways and means of accumulation, and purfue their object without refpite, through every difficulty and hazard. This prefumption forms the char

acter, not of the worshipper of mammon only; but alfo of the lover of pleasures, and of the lover of fame. They alike prefume on future acceffions to their prefent gratifications, unmindful of HIM who holdeth their fouls in life; from whom come riches, and honour, and all the bounties of nature, with pow-er to enjoy our portion. Far from having reached the fummit of their earthly wishes, they purfue, with unremitting ardour, their favourite paffion.

See childhood and youth prefuming that they shall arrive at man's eftate, and then enjoy life better than at prefent. See manhood prefuming on years preferable to the past, seeking rest in fome worldly good, pursuing it with increafing ardour, reaching forth to grafp it while it flies from them-confuming their precious time and advantages in exertions for that which fatisfieth not. See the race of mortals fagacious in adapting means to their ends; exerting all their powers in the use of those means, compaffing fea and land, and fearching the bowels of the earth, vigilant of every opportunity, to obtain and secure their hearts' defire; laying their account for earth and time, as though nothing were fuperior or comparable-as though nothing were real, but things feen. To-morrow, or the next year, or in a few years at least, they hope to acquire fuch property, or fame, or rank in life; or fuch connections and eligible fituation.

Good men have too ardent earthly wishes. In their profperity they are ready to fay, I fhall never be moved. They are in danger of taking too much thought for the morrow-of labouring too much for the things of this life of favouring too much the things that be of men-of prefuming on future seasons and advantages to improve their worldly condition, and provide for pofterity-But,

SECONDLY, The future events of this world are unknown-life itself is extremely fhort and precarious. Te know not what will be on the morrow: For what is

your life? It is even a vapour that appeareth for a little time, and then vanifheth away.

The inftability of human life, from infancy to gray hairs, is obvious. Admit that the infant may live to fourfcore or that the youth and middle-aged may reach that term. Is it known what is before them in the world? what will be their relations and connections, fituation and circumstances; their ftate of body or mind? The scenery of the world is continually fhifting. Some are coming forward on the stage, and others withdrawing from it. Some, who are qualified and inclined to act a worthy part, are prevented; for others step forward before them. Some, who were performing well their part, are thrust aside, as prejudice and party prevail. Some, in the midst or morning of usefulness, while the hopes of their friends and the public were raised, are, by the act of providence, removed, or rendered unfit to do the good for which they feemed to be raised up. The Arbiter of events" fetteth up one, and putteth down "another. He maketh poor, and he maketh rich. "He giveth wisdom and might; and he turneth wife "men backward, and weakeneth the ftrength of the "mighty;" while "to those who have no might he "increafeth ftrength. He woundeth and healeth, he "killeth and maketh alive." Those who are in health, affluence or honour to-day, may to-morrow be under excruciating pain, or reduced to indigence, or fall into neglect. Those whose mental powers are now clear and strong, may, in an hour or moment, be deprived of the regular exercise of them. Those who are highly favoured, in the health, reputation, benevolent difpofitions and usefulness of their tendereft connections, may experience a fudden reverse. There is no certain dependence on the profperous state, or fuccefs, or kind aid, of those who are now our greatest outward comforters. Their change of ftate, in a very little time, may be as a sword piercing through the foul. Or they

may be removed to that world from which none return. When he who lent them calleth, we must refign them. We may not afk him why he taketh away what he gave. "He changeth the times and "feafons" in the natural, the civil, and the moral world-in refpect to individuals, families and communities. The changes in the feasons of the year are not more certain than in the life of man. Spring and fummer, feed time and harveft, autumn and winter have not ceased. In the natural world, a calm fucceeds to a ftorn, and a storm to a clear day. After a bright, ferene morning, the heavens blacken, the tempeft gathers, the thunder roars, and the floods come. In human life, the candle of the Lord may fhine on our tabernacle to-day. To-morrow may be a day of darkness. We may be toffed with tempeft, and not comforted. We are conftantly liable to a variety of difafters, pains, diseases and forrows. In an inftant the moft eligible state may be changed. The height of profperity may be followed by the depths of advertity. There is no reason to prefume that a fimilar change can never take place in our own condition, as we every day obferve in that of others. As well might we presume that we shall never die, although we are conftant witneffes to the removal of all ages and orders.

"Every man walketh in a vain fhew: Surely they “ are difquieted in vain." If we look round us, or call to mind what we ourselves have experienced, we can but fee the folly of a dependence on future health and fuccefs in life; or on the continuance, health, usefulness, aid and comfort of thofe whom we most value. We fee that human wishes are difappointed, human hopes deftroyed. While we apprehend no evil, it may be at the door. When men cry, "Peace and fafety," we may expect a fudden reverfe. Nebuchadnezzar vaunted, "Is not this great Babylon that I have built "by the might of my power, and for the honour of "my majefty. While the word was in his mouth,

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