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MONDAY.

BLESSED ARE THEY THAT DO HUNGER AND THIRST AFTER RIGHTEOUSNESS.

OUR Lord and Saviour has pronounced this bleffednefs, and through his Grace, I hope to partake of it. Hunger and Thirst, naturally prompt us to feek, without delay, the means of fatisfying them. What then is the food of the mind? Wholesome instruction, and religious meditation. If, then, I fincerely do hunger and thirst after Righteousness, I fhall be frequently feeding my mind with pious books and thoughts; I fhall make the returns of these meals as

regular as I can, and feldom fhall I find any neceffity ftrong enough to make me mifs them a whole day together. But then it ought to be remembered too, that even these, the beft hours of my life, ought never to encroach upon the duties and employment of my ftation, whatever they may be. Am 1 in a fuperior ftation in life? My duty then probably takes in a large compass; and I am accountable to my Maker for all those talents entrufted with me by him, for the benefit of my fellowcreatures. I muft not think of liv ing to myself alone, or devoting that time to imitate the employment of Angels, which was given me for the fervice of men. Religion must be my chief end, and my beft delight: It must regulate all I think, or do,

but

but whatever my ftation is, I muft fulfil all its duties. Have I leifure and genius? I must give a due portion of my time to the elegant improvements of life; to the ftudy of thofe sciences that are an ornament to human na, ture: To fuch things as may make me amiable and engaging to all whom I converse with, that by any means I may win them over to Religion and Goodness. For if I am always fhut up in my closet, and spend my time in nothing but exercises of devotion, I fhall be looked upon as morofe and hypocritical; and be difregarded as ufelefs in the world. When this life is ended, we have a whole Eternity before us to fpend in those nobleft employments, and highest delights. But Man, in this low ftate of mortality, pays the moft acceptable obedience

obedience to God, by ferving his fellow-creatures.

Perhaps all these confiderations are wide from my cafe. So far from having leifure upon my hands, I have scarce a moment free from the neceffary engagement of business and bodily labour. While I am working hard for bread for myself and family, or attending diligently the commands of a ftrict mafter, to whom I am juftly accountable for every hour I have, how can I find frequent opportunities for ftudying the Word of God, or much time to spend in devout meditation?-Why, happily, much is not required, provided I make the beft ufe of what little I have.Some time I must needs have on Sundays, and this I may improve. I may diligently

diligently attend to what I hear at Church: I may examine whether my own practice is conformable to what I am there taught: and I may spend fome hours in that day, either in good difcourfe, with fuch as are able to inftruct me, or in reading such religious books, as are put into my hands. Still enough will be left for cheerful converfation, and pleasant walks. Why fhould either of them be the lefs cheerful for a mixture of religious thoughts?-What indeed is there fo gladdening as they are? Be my ftate ever so mean and toilsome, as a Chriftian, if indeed 1 behave like one, I am equal to the greateft monarch upon earth. Be my misfortunes and forrows never fo fevere, as a Chriftian I can look beyond death to an eternity of happiness, of happiness cer