fhall fuggeft, which is, that we must never expect to find, in a journey, the conforts we look for at home. At home, we have all thofe little conveniencies about us, and little pleasures, in which the enjoyment of our lives fo much confifts; and which home only can adminifter. What we expect in a journey is mere refreshment to enable us to proceed. If our inn be not entirely what we wish, we bear it eafily: it is of little confequence: it is the habitation only of a night. In the morning we are gone; and a few ftages more will carry us home, where the fatigue of our journey will foon be forgotten.

Thus it is thus at leaft it fhould be-in our paffage to our heavenly home.--Many people have no idea of a heavenly home. Of them I speak not. They muft, if they chufe it, wander about in this world, without any aim, till they drop into their graves; and must take the confequence.But they, who fet their faces towards the heavenly Jerufalem; and hope, in God's good time, to arrive at that bleffed end of their travels, will look forward to it with chearfulness and joy; and will blefs with holy hope the profpect of that happiness, which there awaits them. They will always bear in mind, that this world is only a state of trial-a preparation-an inn-a mere ftage towards their

ever

everlasting home. There only they expect ease after their painful travel-there only they expect real pleasure and heartfelt joy. The world may amuse them; but on their arrival at their great home only, they hope for folid happiness. -Happy indeed are they, who can bring themfelves to this bleffed ftate-who can look with tender pity on the world around them, immersed in all the folly and madness of its delufive joys; and can with hearts full of tranquillity, and holy hope, thank God, they are now on the point of being removed from a scene, in which they take fo little delight.

THUS, my brethren, I have explained to you that beautiful and inftructive allufion of travelling, as the text expreffes it, like frangers and pilgrims on the earth. If then life is a journey; and can be compared fo properly to nothing else, let us confider it as fuch.

In the first place, let us not fet our hearts upon any thing in it. In a journey many pleasing objects, as we pass along, ftrike our fancyfplendid houses-beautiful countries-rich lands, and well-furnished pastures: but we set our hearts on none of these things.Why do we not fet our hearts upon them?-Because we know

VOL. I.

H

We know, we only

know they are not ours.

pafs by them. It would be ridiculous, we are well convinced, to fet our affections on what we cannot poffefs.

And is not this juft the cafe of the things of this world? Do a few days, or a few months, or a few years, give us any more real property in these things, than if they were the visions only of an hour?-Let us then at least be confiftent. If we do not fet our hearts on the beautiful things we fee on a journey, because we cannot poffefs them; let us for the fame reason withhold our affections from the things of this world. We know we can poffefs neither of them.-What is poffeffion? Nothing furely, of which we may be deprived in a moment, can deferve that name.

IF again, life is a journey, let us not loiter in it. In our worldly journies at least, where we are earnestly bent on any business of importance, we keep constantly going on. Whether the fun beam hot upon us, or whether the storm gather close behind, still we proceed.-Why should we do less in our heavenly journey? Let us then urge our way. Let us not be misled by trifles,

and

and stop, and loiter, till the fun leaves us in the dark.

goes down, and

LASTLY, if life be a journey, let us keep the great end of it continually in view. We are journeying to our great home-the eternal manfion of fpirits. What is there here to detain us from fuch an end? Our valuables are not about us; they are at home, at the end of our journey. Where our treasure is, there then let our hearts be also. It is for want of believing this great truth that we are mifled. If we in earneft believed, that heaven is the place, where our treasure is, we fhould in earneft endeavour to feek it there.Let us then strive to attain this bleffed end of all our labours. It cannot be a flight poffeffion, which our gracious Redeemer hath purchased for us with his blood. Let us change our truft in this world therefore into faith in God through Chrift. Let us be thofe ftrangers, and pilgrims upon earth, of whom the apostle speaks, looking for a manfion prepared for us in the heavens-not like the unstable mansions of this world-but a city, which hath foundations, whofe builder, and founder is God.

SERMON

IX.

GENESIS, xlv. 24.

SEE THAT YE FALL NOT OUT BY THE WAY.

IN my last discourse I explained to you the very beautiful scripture-comparison of a journey, and fhewed you, in how many inftances, it bore a resemblance to our paffage through life. I shall now fhew you, how we ought to behave to each other on this journey. See that ye fall not out by the way.

These words were spoken by Jofeph to his brethren, after he had made himself known to them in Egypt. He had loaded them with kindness; had made each of them a prefent; and had fent them away to their father. At the fame time, confidering the bad difpofition of

mankind