VI. the garden fhall preferve its beauty and SERM. verdure, when the hand that planted it — is withered and decayed. Look at that builder (fays a fenfible writer) who in the vale of years is carrying on the work of youth, preffing the labourer to finish that edifice which he shall never live in, furnishing thofe apartments which he fhall never inhabit! Turn thy eyes to another who is so proud of becoming a father, who hath already pointed out the magistracy which his fon fhall obtain, the feat of honour he shall poffefs! If he knew that his beloved child fhould die almost as foon as he was born, would he be so transported at his birth? Man (fays the Pfalmift) walketh in a vain fhadow, and difquieteth himself in vain; he heapeth up riches and cannot tell who shall enjoy them. God SERM. God hath graciously ordained that the miferies and disappointments we meet VI. with here, fhould prepare our minds for hereafter. Pain, want, and adverfity, are inflicted on us, that we may fit more loose to the things of this tranfitory ftate. Towards the close of our short day, instead of being flattered with delufive hopes of to-morrow's happiness, our evening is clouded over with forrow and disquietude; the lofs of fome whom we loved and efteemed, the unkindness and ingratitude of others, and the infincerity and treachery of many more, make us out of love with every thing about us, and reconcile us to our neceffary and unavoidable change: and how early (even in youth) that change may come, there is none can fay! How ridiculous is it then to depend on that which we may never fee! Have we, who boast of to-morrow, one hour at our VI. our own command? To-morrow may SERM. indeed arrive, but who fhall tell us, whether we fhall live to meet it? Or if we do, whether it will come as a friend or an enemy, and whether the fun will fhine, or the day be overcast? How often does it happen that where we promise ourselves the greatest share of happiness, we meet the leaft! where the imagination is exalted, and we flatter ourselves with vifionary ideas of future joy and pleasure, the feast generally palls upon the appetite, and the higher we raised our hopes and expectations, the more exquifite is our pain at the dif appointment of them. And the fame degree of certainty which we have of to-morrow's pleasure, we have also of to-morrow's conduct. We make refolutions one day, which we want strength to perform the next. It is very easy to talk SER M. talk of virtue and religion, to promife VI. to be good, fober, charitable, and devout; but when we are called upon to put in practice these profeffions, there is generally fome obstacle to divert us from it and yet this imaginary point, tomorrow, is ftill fixed upon as the centre of our happiness, and virtue alfo. Afk the mifer," who panteth after the duft of the earth," and drudges with unceafing toil and affiduity in the dirty, flavish road of intereft, when he will fit down and enjoy the fruits of his labours? and he will anfwer you-to morrow. Ask the ambitious man, who is hunting after power and preferment, when his hopes will be fatisfied, and his defires have an end? he will tell you he has but one step to the fummit of his wishes, I wishes, that to-morrow will put a period SERM. to his views, and fix him in repose and felicity. Ask the idle and voluptuous, who is throwing away his irreparable hours in the unmeaning circle of fashionable delights, when he will think of his duty to his God and his fellow-creatures, and become a useful member of fociety? he will declare he has just finished his course of pleasures, that he hath fufficiently experienced the vanity and vexation of them, and that to-morrow he intends to quit the paths of folly and impertinence, and strike directly into the road of virtue. And what is (for the most part) the confequence of all these folemn profeffions? To-morrow comes! this great reclaimer of finners, this universal reformer of mankind! and finds the mifer at his treasures, the courtier at his levee, VI. the |