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the guest of a day—a traveller hastily journeying to a distant land? He is a slave, because he is subject to the bonds of the tomb; death fetters him, sweeps off from the scene, even the memorials of his name, and causes his days to drop away, like the leaves in autumn. But, according to his desert, will he be rewarded or punished. Again, man is the guest of a day,' for he lingers a few short hours, and then oblivion covers him as with a garment. He is also a traveller journeying to a distant land.' He passes on, sleepless and watchful, with scarce a moment given him to snatch the means of subsistence, and discharge the relative duties of his station. Death hurries him away. How much, therefore, are we called upon to provide every requisite for the journey-that is, the virtues which beseem and support the Christian. To your second question, What man is like?' I answer, that he resembles a sheet of ice, which the heat of noon certainly and rapidly dissolves. Thus man, mixed up of gross and elementary particles, by the fervor of his own infirmities, quickly falls into corruption.

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Moreover, he is like an apple hanging upon its parent stem. The exterior is fair, and promises a rich maturity-but there is a worm preying silently within: ere long it drops to the earth, perforated and rotten at the core*. Whence, then, arises human pride?—The third query is, 'Where is man?' I reply, in a state of multifarious war, for he has to contend against the world, the flesh, and the devil. Your fourth demand was, With whom is he associated?' With seven troublesome companions, which continually beset and torment him. These are, hunger, thirst, heat, cold, weariness, infirmity, and death. Arm, therefore, the soul against the devil, the world, and the flesh, whose wars are divers seductive temptations. Various preparations are needful for an effectual resistance. The flesh tempts us with voluptuousness; the world, by the gratifications of vanity-and the devil, by the suggestions of pride. If, then, the flesh

*« An evil soul, producing holy witness,
Is like a villain with a smiling cheek;

A goodly apple rotten at the heart."

SHAKSPEARE, Merch. of Venice, Act I. Sc. 3.

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tempt thee, remember, that though the day and the hour be unknown, it must soon return into its primitive dust; and, remember yet more, that eternal punishment awaits thy dereliction from virtue. So, in the second chapter of the book of Wisdom, Our body shall become dust and ashes.' It follows, that after these passages of mortal life, oblivion shall be our portion-we, and our deeds, alike shall be forgotten. The recollection of this, will often oppose a barrier to temptation, and prevent its clinging with fatal tenacity to the heart. If the vanity of the world allure thee, reflect upon its ingratitude, and thou wilt be little desirous of becoming bound to it. And though thou shouldest dedicate thy whole life to its service, it will permit thee to carry. off nothing but thy sins. This may be exemplified by the fable of the partridge. A partridge, anxious for the safety of her young, on the approach of a sportsman, ran before him, feigning herself wounded, in order to draw him from her nest. The sportsman, crediting this appearance, eagerly followed. But she lured him on, until he had entirely lost sight

of the nest, and then rapidly flew away. Thus the sportsman, deceived by the bird's artifice, obtained only his labour for his pains. (31) So is it with the world. The sportsman who approaches the nest, is the good Christian, who acquires food and clothing by the sweat of his brow. The world calls, and holds out the temptation, which his frailty cannot resist. She tells him that if he follow her, he will attain the desire of his heart. Thus he is gradually removed from the love of God, and from works of goodness. Death comes and bears on his pale steed the deceived and miserable bankrupt. See how the world rewards its votaries! (32) So, in the second Chapter of James, "The whole world is placed in evil; is composed of the pride of life," &c. In the third place, if the devil tempt thee, remember Christ's sorrows and sufferings,-a thought which pride cannot surely resist. "Put on," says the Apostle," the whole armour of God, that ye may stand fast." Solinus (33) tells us (speaking of the wonders of the world) that Alexander had a certain horse which he called Bucephalus. When this animal was

armed, and prepared for battle, he would permit no one but Alexander to mount; and if another attempted it, he presently threw him. But in the trappings of peace, he made no resistance, mount him who would. Thus a man, armed by the passion of our Lord, receives none into his heart but God; and if the temptations of the devil strive to sit there, they are cast violently down. Without this armour, it is open to every temptation. Let us then study to clothe ourselves with virtue that we may at length come to the glory of God.

TALE XXXVII.

OF LIFTING UP THE MIND TO HEAVEN.

PLINY (34) mentions the story of an eagle that had built her nest upon a lofty rock,

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