used to promise those of his disciples that conducted themselves right in this life, that they should be continually drunk in that which is to come.

But what we have said formerly of the felicity of the life to come, and all that we could say, were we to treat of the same subject over again, is but mere trifling. And yet it is not disagreeable to hear children speak, even with stammering, about the dignity of their father, and of the riches and magnificence of his inheritance. It is pleasant and decent to speak of our native country, even while we are sojourning in a foreign land: but, for the present, I shall insist no longer on this subject, but, turning the tables, lay before you that dreadful punishment which stands in opposition to this happiness, by presenting you only with a transient view of the future misery of the wicked; and though this is indeed a most unpleasant task, yet nothing but our own carelessness and inattention can render it useless.

Here, first of all, it is to be observed, that as, in this life, there is no perfect felicity; so neither here is there any complete misery. Those whom we look upon as the most wretched in this world, have their sufferings chequered with many intervals of ease; but the misery to come admits of no abatement; it is all of a piece, without admitting of any mixture of relief. They are surely mad with their notions who here talk of the advantages of being or existence, and contend that it is more desirable

* Με ην αένναον.

For my

"to be miserable, than not to be at all."* part, I am fully satisfied, they can never persuade any man of the truth of their assertion; nor even believe it themselves, when they think seriously on the subject. But not to insist on this, it is certain, that all kinds of delight are for ever banished from that eternal and frightful prison. There is there no light, no day, nor sleep, which is the blessing of the night and, indeed, nothing at all but places full of darkness, precipices, nakedness, and all kinds of horror; no entertainments, merry meetings, nor any sensible pleasure; and to be for ever separated from all such, must be no small misery, especially to those who used to pass their time amidst such scenes of mirth and jollity, and imagined themselves in some measure happy therein; and that the remembrance of this may distress them the more, they will be continually haunted with a thought that will cleave to them like a worm devouring their bowels, and constantly keep them in mind, that out of a distracted fondness for these fleeting pleasures, which have now flown away, without hope of returning, they have lost those joys that are heavenly and eternal, whereof they will have some knowledge; but what kind of knowledge that will be, and how far extended to enhance their torments, is not ours to determine. But who will attempt to express the excess of their misery, or describe those streams of brimstone, and eternal

* Miserum esse quam non esse.

flames of Divine wrath? Or rather, who will not tremble, I say, not in describing them, but even in thinking of them, and be quite overpowered with an idea so shocking?

That I may no further attempt "to speak things unutterable, and to derogate from a grand subject by inadequate expressions" behold now, my dear youths, if you believe these things, behold, I say, you have now life and death laid before you; choose for yourselves. And that you may not put off a matter of such importance, consider these things, pray seriously, and say to yourselves, concerning the vanishing shadows of external things, How long will these enjoyments last? O! how soon will they pass! Even while I am speaking these words, while I am thinking of them, they fly past me. Is any one oppressed with calamities? Let him say cheerfully, with a remarkably good man, Lord, while I am here, kill me, burn me, only spare me there." Is there any among you of weak capacity, unhappy in expressing himself, of an unfavourable aspect, or deformed in body? Let him say with himself, It is a matter of small consequence: I shall soon leave this habitation; and, if I am but good myself, be soon removed to the mansions of the blessed. Let these thoughts prevent his being dejected in mind, or overcome with too much sorrow. If any one is distinguished by

66

* Τα αλάλητα λαλείσθαι.

Magna modis tenuare parvis.

Domine, hic ure, cæde, modo ibi parcas.

a good understanding, or outward beauty, or riches, let him reflect, and seriously consider, how soon all excellencies of this kind will pass away, that he may not be vain, or lifted up by the advantages of fortune. Let it be the chief care and study of you all, to avoid the works of darkness, that so you may escapé utter and eternal darkness; embrace with open and cheerful hearts that divine light which hath shone from heaven; that, when you are divested of these bodies, you may be received into the glorious mansions of that blessed and perfect light.

LECTURE XVIII.

Of the CHRISTIAN RELIGION, and that it is the true Way to Happiness.

I CONFESS, young gentlemen, that whenever I think on the subject, I cannot help wondering at the indolence and madness of mankind; for though we boast that, to order our affairs with prudence and discretion, and conduct our lives according to the principles of reason, is the great privilege and ornament of our nature that distinguishes us from the brute creatures; how few are there, that, in this respect, act like men that propose to themselves an end, and direct all their actions to the attainment of it! It is very certain, that the

greatest part of mankind, with a folly something more than childish, go in quest of painted butterflies, or commonly pursue the birds with stones and clods; and even those who spin out their lives to the utmost extent of old age, for the most part gain little by it, but, only this, that they may be called very aged children,* being as ignorant as infants why they came into the world, and what will become of them when they leave it.. Of all questions, therefore, none can be more properly proposed to you, who are just upon the verge of manhood, I mean entering upon a rational life, than this, Whither are you going? What good have you in view? To what end do you propose to live? For hence, possibly, your minds may be excited within you to an earnest desire after that perfect and supreme good, and you may not content yourselves with cool speculations upon this subject, as if it were a logical or philosophical problem, that falls

in your way of course; but with that application

that is proper in a question concerning a matter of the greatest moment, where it highly concerns us to be well informed, and where the highest rewards and greatest dangers are proposed to our view. And, in this hope, I have often addressed myself to you upon the subject of happiness, or the supreme good, at different periods of time, entertaining you in the intervals with essays and suitable exhortations upon other subjects; yet so as to observe a kind of method, and keep up a connexion * Παίδες πολυχρόνιοι.