There is a natural belief in mankind of the connection between prosperity and virtue; and there is an instinctive hope, that the laws of the divine administration have prepared happiness for the righteous. If it is from life, however, that we judge, a variety of appearances occur at first to perplex our understandings. Here, as of old, "the race is not "to the swift, nor the battle to the "strong, neither yet bread to the wise, "nor riches to men of understanding, "nor favour to men of skill, but time "and chance happen unto them all."No permanent law seems to regulate the course of human affairs, and no just hand appears to distribute the balance of good and evil. A broken and imperfect system only appears, in which all things happen alike to all, and fortune disposes at pleasure of the blessings and miseries of humanity. To such vulgar views of

Nature and Providence, the commerce of life, and the habits of attention to temporal pursuits, too naturally lead and hence it is, that we so often find the pious and the wise themselves, to whom religion ought to have taught better things, complaining under the unequal distribution, and nourishing in their hearts those secret murmurs against Providence, which unnerve every virtuous purpose of the soul, and cover religion itself in gloom and melancholy. It is the piety of youthful days which can afford the best preservative against these dark and unjust conceptions. Before the experience of life has made any impression on their minds, before they descend into the "wilderness" through which they are to travel, it shows them from afar the promised land." It carries their view to the whole course of their being, and, while no narrow objects have yet ab

sorbed their desires, shews them its termination in another scene, in which the balance of good and evil will be adjusted by the unerring hand of God. Under such views of nature, the system of Divine Providence appears. in all its majesty and beauty. Beginning here, in the feeble and imperfect state of man, it spreads itself out into forms of ascending being, in which the heart expands, while it contemplates them; and closes at last in scenes which are obscured only from the excess of their splendour.With such conceptions of their nature, life meets the young in its real colours ;— not as the idle abode of effeminate pleasure, but as the school in which their souls are formed to great attainments;— not as the soft shade in which every manly and honourable quality is to dissolve, but as the field in which glory, and honour, and immortality are to be

won. Whatever may be the aspect which it may assume,-whatever the scenes in which they are called to act, or to suffer, the promises of God still brighten in their view; and their souls, deriving strength from trial, and confidence from experience, settle at last in that humble but holy spirit of resignation, which, when rightly understood, comprehends the sum of religion; which, reposing itself in undoubting faith in the wisdom of God, accepts, not only with content, but with cheerfulness, of every dispensation of his Providence; which seeks no other end than to fulfil its part in His government; and which, knowing its own weakness and His perfection, yields up all its desires into His hand, and asks only to know His laws, and to do His will.

Such are the natural effects of youthful piety upon the formation of human character; yet there is one advantage of it to

be mentioned still greater than all; I mean, the hope which it affords of the favour of God, and of the assistance of his Holy Spirit.

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"Now the prayer of Solomon pleas"ed the Lord that he had asked this ❝ thing. And God said unto him, Because thou hast asked this thing, and "hast not asked for thyself long life, "neither hast asked riches for thyself, "nor hast asked the life of thine enemies, "but hast asked for thyself understand

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ing to discern judgment: Behold, I have "done according unto thy words.-Lo I "have given thee a wise and understand"ing heart so that there was none like "thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee.—And I have " also given thee that which thou hast not

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asked, both riches and honour, so that "there shall not be any among the kings

“like unto thee all thy days." In every