the full value of it, and consider how gloomy, barren, and desert, all nature would be, if the sky had been to us like brass, and the earth as iron. All the plants and trees would perish : every living creature would faint: the rivers would dry up; and we should breathe death in the air. But every time the rain waters the earth, God sheds new blessings upon us. And yet we complain or murmur when the winter rains are heavy, or last any length of time. We rashly censure the government of God! Ah! rather let us bless the Creator, and praise his goodness to wards us. By his order, the seasons are renewed and regularly succeed each other. It is for us that the rain falls, and makes the earth fruitful. God opens his liberal hand to do good to man. His blessings light upon our land, and fill it with peace and plenteousness. Let us then adore our Creator, and sing to his glory hymns of praise and thanksgiving. What has he not already done for us, and what may we not still expect from his goodness!

FEB. XVIII.

The Images of Death which Winter affords.

WE continually require warnings to make us think of the end of our days. We are too much inclined to banish the thought of death from our minds; and, if it was otherwise, the avocations and pleasures of life scarce allow us time for it, or, at least, to think of it so as to profit by it. It is, however, necessary for our repose and safety, that we should frequently reflect on this great event, in order to lessen our fears of it. Let us therefore take advantage of the present season for that purpose, and consider, as the images of death, some of the objects daily before us. Na

ture is deprived of the beauty and charms with which it was adorned in summer: the fields and gardens, where we walked with so much pleasure, are useless and deserted; they have no longer any thing inviting in them; the days are too short and disagreeable, to make us wish to pass them in the country. Is not this a lively image of our state, when arrived at the winter of life? All the charms we are so vain of in the spring or summer of life, disappear. The vexations, peevishness, and infirmities of age, no longer permit us to enjoy or relish the amusements of youth; and few young people find pleasure in our company: the short and gloomy days of age are a burden to us: and if we are reason. able, our wishes tend towards a better life. How short are the days at this season! and yet, now they are so dull, we should be in the wrong to complain of it. As our frail life is a constant struggle against sin and misery, is it not a blessing that God has so limited our earthly existence? The path to heaven is narrow, and full of thorns: ought we not then to bless Providence for making it so short? Several kinds of animals pass the winter in a sound sleep, from which they do not awake till they feel the mild and enliven. ing warmth of spring. So will our lifeless body rest in the grave, till the day of judgment shall awaken it from the sleep of death. In winter, the night surprises, and comes upon us, before we expect it, in the midst of our employments. Perhaps, when we proposed to finish such and such business, the evening comes suddenly and interrupts us. Here, again, we find a very simple image of the night of death: it will happen, perhaps, when least expected. In the midst of projects for future days; in the midst of very important undertakings, which we had hoped to accomplish, this dreadful death will surprise

Grant, O God, that it may find us employed so as to be conducive to our eternal happiness! The most melancholy circumstance of the winter nights is certainly their length, which deprives us so long of the sun; and, perhaps, one reason for dreading death is, the thought of being so long in the grave. But as the winter nights glide imperceptibly away in a sweet sleep, so will death insensibly pass by; and we shall unexpectedly behold the great light of the new creation shine forth. These are the edifying and useful reflections which winter presents us. Let us not be afraid to contem. plate these images of death; and let us endeavour to profit by them. Let the thought of our latter end be familiar, and present to us in every situa tion of life. Then shall we think of death without fear. It will be a comfort to us in affliction, a friend and faithful counsellor in prosperity, and a shield against temptations.

FEB. XIX.

Means to procure Fire.

IN these long winter nights, and during the severe cold weather, fire is an inestimable blessing, for which we cannot be too grateful. How wretched and miserable our lives would be at this season, if God had not given to fire the virtue of warming and lighting our houses; and if this element was not to he found every where, and in every thing? It is to be found in sulphur, in the fat of animals, in the wax which the bees gather, and in all vegetables, though they seem inactive, and there is no outward visible appearance of its effects. But their clashing together discovers it; and shews, at least, that there must be fire in every part of the air. By the quick repeated friction of hard bodies, such as steel and flint,

uses.

the fire contained in them is put in motion; and the particles, which fly out of these bodies, and are violently acted against each other, acquire force capable of inflaming any thing. This is the common method of obtaining fire for our domestic But we are generally content with enjoying the continual service this element does us, in the preparation of our food, in warming us, and in lighting our apartments, without being at the trouble to inquire how fire was produced, If we were more attentive to the causes of certain natural phenomena, we should every where find traces of infinite goodness and wisdom. Certainly it does not require much reflection to discover them in this instance. It is with a beneficent view that God has spread fire all around us, and throughout all nature, in order to be of all sorts of use, and that it might be enjoyed on all occasions. This matter takes every kind of form for our use; and, by uniting with many other bodies, it becomes a great advantage to us. How happy for us if we did but accustom ourselves to be more observant of the many blessings we daily receive from the liberal hand of God! Yet, alas! it is that constant and daily enjoyment of them which makes us so cold and indifferent to them. These proofs, however, which we daily receive of God's goodness, are what we can the least dis pense with; and, from that single circumstance, they merit our particular acknowledgement. Let us then often think of our wise and merciful Preserver; and, in enjoying his blessings, even those which appear the most inconsiderable, let us accustom ourselves to raise our hearts to him, and to honour him as the source of all good.

FEB. XX.

The Equal distribution of the Seasons.

WHEN the sun is far from us, and when the severe cold binds and shuts up our earth, there are some countries where the inhabitants enjoy all the beauties of spring; others, where they are gathering rich harvests; and others, in fine, where autumn fills her granaries with fruit. It is in this manner that Divine Wisdom has regulated the change of seasons, and distributed the same favour to all his creatures, at different times. His impartial love extends itself over every being be has made, without respect to rank, nation, or merit. It is sufficient that they require his bless. ings, for him to take pleasure in granting them. His beneficent views extend over the deserts of Arabia, with as much goodness as over the smiling countries of Europe; and his government is the same from pole to pole. But, if God distributes the pleasures of this life equally, why are some countries deprived of the pleasures of spring, while we enjoy them in such abundance? Why are the rays of the sun so partially spread, that in some climates there is darkness, and in others light, for whole months together? Why are not the frozen countries near the pole as beautiful and fertile as our plains and valleys? What art thou, O man, who darest to ask such questions? What right hast thou to demand an account of the infinitely wise Being, for the manner in which he rules the world? Vain mortal, learn to be humble, and to acknowledge traces of a sovereign wisdom, in the very things wherein thy weak understanding imagined there were defects. Perhaps thou supposet Providence has refused, to certain parts of the earth, advantages and happi