piness becoming misery,―our children brought forth in sorrow,―our ground accursed and bringing forth thorns and thistles ;-and life, which was before eternal, now turned into certain death! For thus it was, that "by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin, and so death passed upon all men (Rom. v. 12); for "in Adam all die" (1 Cor. xv. 22); and thus it was that "all the days of man are sorrows and his travail grief; his flesh upon him shall have pain, and his soul within him shall mourn" (Eccl. ii. 23), and thus it was that " man fleeth as a shadow and continueth not in one stay" (Job xiv. 2); "there is but a step between us and death." (1 Sam. xx. 3.)

Thus spake the Scriptures-and when I look around, what is there for me to behold? When I look at myself, what is there to see? How frail in body, how weak in mind, how sensible of ill, how vain, how ignorant, how transitory! My body-true, indeed, I am fearfully and wonderfully made; and "thine

eyes did see my substance, yet being imperfect, and in thy book were all my members written, which in continuance were fashioned when as yet there was none of them.” (Ps. cxxxix. 15, 16.) But thou hast constructed me a perishable being. The wonderful fashion of these limbs, so perfect in their structure, so admirable for my existence, may yet be crumbled into dust, or be withered, or distorted, or by a thousand accidents may become a pain and grief to me. I look around me, and behold in my brethren the palsied limb or the crippled body; I see on every side the tottering gait of the lame, the wandering step of the blind; I behold the deaf with their unconscious gaze, and the dumb with their silent voice, and I cry out, O my God, what am I before thee!

My mind!-Here I am indeed better than the brute. Here indeed I may rejoice, and glorify thee, that I can think and reason, and weigh in the balance God's providence and love. But yet, what is my mind by na

ture? The thoughts of man are vanity." (Ps. xciv. 11.) "He laboureth in vain, he spendeth his strength for nought.” (Isa. xlix. 4.) "If we apply our hearts to know wisdom, we shall perceive that this also is vexation of spirit, for in much wisdom is much grief, and he that increaseth knowledge, increaseth sorrow." (Eccl. viii. 16 and i. 18.)

Thus speak the Scriptures-and when I look around-when I know that this mind, this bountiful gift of God, may be withdrawn ; that it may wander, become diseased like the body, and perish,-when I behold the frenzy of the maniac, the moping simplicity of the idiot, the wandering gaze of the lunatic, I cry out again,

What am I before thee, O God!

I also am

For these things may be mine. one of that nature, one of that curse under which these things are sent. I also may be cast down by these withering maladies, and the noble dignity of my manhood may be pros

trate with the brutes. I also may have to say to the horse, and to the mule, thou art my brother and the wisdom of the scribe, and the disputer of this world, may fall, under thy will, into the simplicity of the child, or the folly of the babbler.

And though we should escape these miseries. Yet how long? What is our life? It is even a vapour that appeareth for a little while and then vanisheth away." (James iv. 14.) "There is no man that hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit, neither hath he power in the day of death." (Eccl. 8. viii.) " One generation passeth away and another generation cometh, and the memory of them that are dead is forgotten." (Eccl. i. 4.)

Yea, it is even so. This fair body, now so goodly to look upon, though it shall escape all pains and diseases under which others are bowed down ;-this fair mind, though it shall be strong and vigorous for the years of its youth, yet must they put on the helpless guise

it #

of old age.

Their beauty must decay; their strength is perfect weakness, and threescore years and ten will do their certain work.

Then comes the end. "Man dieth and wasteth away, yea, man giveth up the ghost, and where is he ?" (Job xiv. 10.) God has willed it so. By the curse of Adam we are bound-by the disobedience of our first parents we also are punished.

Therefore, O my God, what am I before

thee!

Verily we are altogether vanity.

"We wait for light, but behold obscurity; for brightness, but we walk in darkness; we grope for the wall like the blind, we stumble as in the night.” (Isa. lix. 9.)

THE REMEDY.

But yet: "Why art thou cast down, O my soul, and why art thou disquieted within me? Hope thou in God." (Ps. xlii. 5.)

"Cast thy burden upon the Lord and he shall sustain thee." (Ps. lv. 22.)

M