different should our language be.

"Let us

"be up and be doing, let us be providing for

eternity, let us be laying up treasure in hea"ven, for to-morrow we die, and there is no "work nor device in the grave." This is the awful crisis of our fate: it must be folly, it must be madness, to be unconcerned about this decisive moment, or to be unemployed in preparing, by a lively faith, against that trouble and anxiety which it must necessarily produce.

In

4. The uncertainty of death is different from every uncertainty in life, not only in point of importance, but also in its nature. the calamities which may surprise us in this life, the number of those who will probably suffer along with us gives us encouragement; the resources which we may possess leave us easy; at the worst, the surprise we meet with teaches us to be more on our guard for the future. But in that terrible uncertainty which we are considering, the number of those who run the same risk with ourselves, does not in the least diminish our danger. It is often so sudden, that it leaves us no resources; and even those resources which are resorted to, when leisure is granted, are commonly vain and deceitful.

That

In short, the surprise of death never returns: we die but once, and we cannot turn our imprudence to account on any future occasion. Our state is immutably determined. light which discovers to us the folly of our conduct, instead of leading us to repentance, will only stir up that worm which never dies, and kindle that flame whose smoke ascendeth for ever and ever.

When these considerations have been duly attended to, I may be allowed to ask, upon what pretence men can possibly justify that security and profound forgetfulness of their last hour in which the greatest part of mankind live? Do you build upon youth which seems to promise you a length of days? Go to the repositories of mortality, and be undeceived. You will there find death to be the land without order, where youth, and manhood, and old age are indiscriminately mingled, and equally rest together in silence. Indeed, youth is that uncertain period of life in which death is most to be dreaded. In that tender age, the constitution is not yet hardened by maturity, or accustomed to disease: and the storm which in vain assails the oak of the mountain, will blast, in a moment, the opening blossom of the

spring. Besides, this is the season of danger the passions are strong and violent: the excesses are frequent and dangerous experience has not yet cooled the desires, or taught them, that poison is mingled in the cup of gratification: now the blood boils in the veins at the call of ambition, and the heart beats high at the voice of glory: now danger surrounds us in a thousand shapes, and the spoiler is ever ready for his prey.

Do you trust in the health which you enjoy, and in the power of your constitution? Consider the enemy with whom you have to combat. The best established health is but a spark which the blast of death can in a moment extinguish. One day of distress can lay the strongest body low in the dust.

What is human life? Is there any thing in the present scene so certain and so satisfactory, as to give you any encouragement? Or do the changes which perpetually take place, the silent revolution of years, and the gradual decay of nature, lead your thoughts to that dreary land of desolation whither every thing seems fast hastening. Years appear long, when far from us when arrived, they slip away and disappear in an instant: when pas

Even

sed, they are as a vision of the night, or as a tale which has been told. Let us look behind us. Is the world the same that we have seen it in former days? No every thing is altered ; those who once occupied the principal stations in society, are gone to another land, and have left their places to successours: men formerly unknown are exalted into view, and now attract the attention of the world. within our own narrow sphere, every thing wears an aspect different from what it once did. The friends of our youth are passed into the region of forgetfulness, or are for ever separated from us by their connections in life.The tender buds of hope, which we reared with so fond an hand, are nipped by the killing frost of disappointment. Those projects and schemes, which we formerly pursued with pleasure, are now laid aside. New idcas prevail; new occupations engage our attention; new passions rouse us to action. A new world is gradually springing up, is gradually sinking into ruins. Year follows year with unceasing change. The fashion of all things passeth away. One generation go

and the old

eth, and another cometh. Our fathers left the stage to-day, and we shall leave it to-mor

row. Nothing is at rest. Every thing changes, decays, and perishes. God, alone, remains the same. This fleeting scene passes before his eyes, and he beholds, with pity and indignation, the infatuated children of men neglecting and insulting his present goodness and forbearance, and, at length, falling into the hands of his wrath and vengeance.

I shall now conclude with stating that inference, the truth of which it has been the great object of this discourse to establish ; namely, that, since the hour of death is uncertain, we ought to put no value on the things of this life, but prefer religion to every other concern, and set our affections on things above. By these means, alone, can we be in a state of constant preparation.

What folly must it be, my friends, to attach yourselves to what may not last for a single day, and to lose for it that good which never perisheth! You should consider all the pains which you bestow upon the pursuits of this life as lost, because you are never sure that you will reap the fruit of your labour. But the rewards of religion admit of no uncertainty, and, in themselves, ought not once to be put in the balance with the greatest temporal en