Page images
PDF
EPUB

scenes of mirth and sprightliness, where happiness ever prefides, and is ever to be known by the joy and laughter which he will fee, at once, painted in her looks.

A fecond, with a graver aspect, points out to the costly dwellings which pride and extravagance have erected:-tells the enquirer,that the object he is in fearch of inhabits there ;that happiness lives only in company with the great, in the midft of much pomp and outward state:-that he will easily find her out by the coat of many colours fhe has on, and the great luxury, and expence of equipage and furniture, with which she always fits furrounded.

The miser bleffes GOD!-wonders how any one would mislead, and wilfully put him upon fo wrong a fcent-convinces him that happinefs and extravagance never inhabited under the fame roof;-that if he would not be difappointed in his fearch, he must look into the plain and thrifty dwelling of the prudent man, who knows and understands the worth of money, and cautiously lays it up against an evil hour that it is not the proftitution of wealth upon the paffions, or the parting with it at

all,

all, that constitutes happiness,—but that it is the keeping it together, and the HAVING and HOLDING it faft to him and his heirs for ever, which are the chief attributes that form this great idol of human worship, to which so much incenfe is offered up every day.

The epicure, though he easily rectifies fo grofs a mistake, yet at the fame time he plunges him, if possible, into a greater; for, hearing the object of his purfuit to be happiness, and knowing of no other happiness than what is feated immediately in the senses-he fends the enquirer there;-tells him 'tis in vain to search elsewhere for it, than where Nature herself has placed it in the indulgence and gratification of the appetites, which are given us for that end: and, in a word,-if he will not take his opinion in the matter-he may truft the word of a much wifer man, who has affured us,-that there is nothing better in this world, than that a man should eat and drink, and rejoice in his works, and make his foul enjoy good in his labour-for that is his portion.

To refcue him from this brutal experiment, Ambition takes him by the hand, and carries

him into the world,—shews him all the kingdoms of the earth, and the glory of them,— points out the many ways of advancing his fortune, and raising himself to honour,lays before his eyes all the charms and bewitching temptations of power, and asks if there can be any happiness in this world like that of being careffed, courted, flattered and followed?

To close all, the philofopher meets him buftling in the full career of this purfuit-stops him -tells him, if he is in search of happiness, he is far gone out of his way.

That this deity has long been banished from noife and tumults, where there was no reft found for her, and was fled into folitude, far from all commerce of the world; and, in a word, if he would find her, he must leave this bufy and intriguing scene, and go back to that peaceful scene of retirement and books, from which he at firft fet out.

In this circle too often does man run; tries all experiments, and generally fits down weary and diffatisfied with them all at laft-in utter defpair of ever accomplishing what he wants

nor

nor knowing what to trust to after so many disappointments, or where to lay the fault, whether in the incapacity of his own nature, or the infufficiency of the enjoyments themfelves.

In this uncertain and perplexed statewithout knowledge which way to turn, or where to betake ourselves for refuge-so often abused and deceived by the many who pretend thus to fhew us any good- -LORD! fays the pfalmift, lift up the light of thy countenance upon us. Send us fome rays of thy grace and heavenly wisdom, in this benighted search after happiness, to direct us fafely to it. O GOD! let us not wander for ever without a guide in this dark region, in endless pursuit of our miftaken good, but enlighten our eyes, that we sleep not in death open to them the comforts of thy holy word and religion-lift up the light of thy countenance upon us-and make us know the joy and fatisfaction of living in the true faith and fear of Thee, which only can carry us to this haven of rest where we would be that fure haven, where true joys are to be found, which will at length not only answer all our expectations-but fatisfy the

moft

[ocr errors]

most unbounded of our wifhes for ever and

ever.

The words thus opened, naturally reduce the remaining part of the discourse under two heads. The first part of the verse "there "be many that fay, who will fhew us any "good"-To make fome reflections upon the infufficiency of most of our enjoyments towards the attainment of happinefs, upon fome of the most received plans on which 'tis gene rally fought.

The examination of which will lead us up to the fource, and true fecret of all happiness, fuggefted to us in the latter part of the verfe"LORD! lift thou up the light of thy counus."-That there can be no real happiness without religion and virtue, and the affiftance of God's grace and Holy Spirit to direct our lives in the true purfuit of it.

tenance upon

Let us enquire into the Disappointments of human happiness, on fome of the most received plans on which it is generally fought for and expected, by the bulk of mankind.

There

« PreviousContinue »