what little improvement have we made of it ! How apt are we to yield to sloth, and to defer the most important of all duties on slight and frivolous pretences, which we know before- hand will never satisfy our Judge ! But what can ever equal this folly ? A sluggard in temporal things may find some one to pity his distress ; and may learn from his experience to amend. But who will ever pity the self-ruined sinner ? Or what further opportunity for amendment will be afforded him? Let us then begin, and prosecute without remission, the work of our souls. Let us " plow up the fallow ground, and sow in righteousness," knowing assuredly, that " the diligent hand shall make us rich," and that, "if we sow in tears we shall reap in joy."]
2. Let US look forward with earnestness to the future harvest —
[The husbandman waits with patience, in expectation that the harvest will compensate his labours. And will not our harvest repay all the exertions we can use, and all the self-denial we can exercise ? Let us then put forth all the energies of our souls in preparing for that day. Let us not suffer any difficul- ties or discouragements to abate our ardour ; but " whatever our our hand findeth to do, let us do it with our might," " and so much the more as we see the day approaching."]
Prov. XX. 6. 3Iost men tvill proclaim every one his oivn good- ness ; but a faithful man who can find?
IF we were to apply to every individual of man- kind for his own character, and to form our estimate of the world from the aggregate report, we should soon find, that self-knowledge is a rare attainment, and that men are but partial judges in their own cause. Hence it is, that the more intercourse we have with the world, the more we learn to distrust the professions of men, and to suspend our judgment of them, till we have more substantial ground whereon to form it. Some indeed, from seeing unsuspecting youth so often become a prey to designing men, and frankness and candour so often fall a sacrifice to- deceit and treachery, have been led almost to expel charity from their hearts, and practically to reverse its most established laws. Charity would require that