flection prevail, the mind needs higher resources than the world has to offer. And I see some proof of this in the sort of reading, for instance, that is apt to prevail. If you go to the Libraries that are most used-used five fold more than any other-the Circulating Libraries of our cities and villages, you will find them to consist almost entirely of works of fiction. It is much to be regretted indeed, that books of sound knowledge, that valuable reviews and periodical publications cannot fill up, at least, a part of those shelves on which such continual demands are made. But they do not. Nothing but fictions, novels, romances, will do. Men want to be excited. They want to be transported from what they are too apt to consider the dull realities of this world, to an ideal world, to some brighter or some darker region, to some world of deeper excitement. They want, indeed-and the more their minds are advanced from the condition of rude ignorance and engrossing toil, the more they will wantreligion, the contemplations of God, the resources of piety, the silent offerings of prayer, to support, to supply, to satisfy them.

We have need, then, to say to the opulent, to the unoccupied, to the intellectual and literary, to the reading, the intelligent, the educated and improved in mind of every grade- Be not only virtuous and amiable, but be devout; by as much as you have leisure, whether more or less, seek for God, to fill the void which vanity or ennui or chafed and raging passions will otherwise fill; by as much as you have an improved understanding, whether in a higher or lower degree, let that understanding ascend to God with its homage. It is his workmanship, it is his inspiration; He is the centre of all inspiration; his glory

is the end of all that man can know, and love, and admire. Let the great, and elevating, and blessed thoughts of God visit your retirement-let them mingle often with your business. Let the aspirations of gratitude go up from all your pursuits, from your reading, from your leisurely walks, from your social interviews and pleasures. You have learnt, perhaps, to be kind, and generous, and forbearing-you have learnt to admire the excellence of your fellow-beings, to love the worthy and the good; let these affections be but steps to higher attainments and joyslet the excellence of the creature lead you to the ineffable glory of the Creator. If the love of man yields such happiness, what will not the love of God impart? Assuredly, it can impart enough to fill every vacant, to satisfy every craving mind, to exalt, to absorb, all intelligence, all thought, all will and wish, all passion and imagination, and every high and glorious faculty of our nature.'

2. And this, as I proposed further to observe, is the grand and ultimate design of our rational existence. The soul of man was made for this exercise and expansion, and for nothing less. Can you suppose, that the mind, with all its capacities, was formed merely to be employed upon this outward world, to be engaged in its business, its toil and care, to manufacture its materials into the means of comfort or convenience, to fashion them into the curiosities of art, or to build them into structures of architectural magnificence? Can you believe that the mind was formed forever to study, and study outward things, cither with the eye of covetousness, or with the eye of taste, or with the eye of philosophy? Is matter, with its possessions and vicissitudes, with its dimensions and laws, the very object and scope of the human soul? Is this the

ultimate point, and is religion introduced, merely to grace the scene? or to preserve the order and security of life? Surely every man who is conscious that he has a soul will answer, no. It is true, indeed, that we must be occupied, in a measure, with earthly cares; but there is a higher destination for us. Else, wherefore, of all things upon earth, is the mind made in the image cf God? Wherefore has it this preeminence, that it is of all things upon earth, capable of beholding his glory-that it craves an object as vast as his glory? If the understanding of a beast were at once exalted to comprehend your rational nature, to interpret and enter into your thoughts and affections, could there be a doubt, that this would be his great end, excellence, and dignity? And shall we who are exalted to the heavenly capacity of knowing God and communing with him, doubt that it is for this chiefly that we were made? Shall we doubt whether infinitely the most glorious object in the universe was designed to appear such, and to be such to our minds? No; it were unworthiness, it were infamy to doubt. God is the great object for mind, wherever, whatever it is, human or angelic, in whatever sphere of light, in whatever world, of imperfect, of infant being. To us, among his creatures, it is given, and it is given as the grandest of all distinctions, to know God, and to rejoice in him. To us, it is given as the noblest of all capacities, that we can love him, that we can praise him, that we can taste an unutterable peace and satisfaction in communing with him, that we can learn, and search, and, in the knowledge of him, grow, continually and forever. And if we can do this, and care not to do it-if we can attain to this knowledge and experience, and willingly let the opportunities of it pass unimproved,

we cast away the very birthright of a rational existence, we renounce the most glorious hope of a religious nature -we are not worthy to be men.

Let it be ever so true, then, that it is difficult to bring the thoughts of God familiarly into all the business of life, yet if this is the great end of our being, shall we not strive for it? Shall it not be included among the objects of life, as much as any acquisition, any advancement, any care whatever? Nay, shall it not be felt to be more important than all other objects combined? Why, can we not set out in life; why can we not, now, if never before, enter into life, with the great conviction, that nothing is so desirable to us, as to know, to love, to resemble, to please God? Why can we not act on this conviction? Why can it not give calmness to our pursuits, temperance to our pleasures, patience in disappointments, and fortitude in affliction? Why can we not feel that though all things change, and all things pass away, yet our treasure is safe? Shall we indolently and ignobly say, that it is difficult? Is this the way, in which we treat other great interests ? Is this our enterprise? Is this our energy and perseverance ? Half of the zeal with which we pursue a transitory fortune or the empty shadow of fame, I would make us devout? Half of the enthusiasm of the learned and literary, half of the anxiety of the speculating, half of the eagerness of the voluptuous would make them more pious, more holy, more familiar with the contemplation of God, than the most devout now are. Let us hear no more of the obstacles to devotion, till it is found that there are no obstacles to business, to study, and to pleasure even. How shall it be, that every thing in life can arouse, can animate and inspire us, but that

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thing for which chiefly life is given to us, and lengthened out, and made the avenue to a life that is everlasting.

3. Yet a little while too, and everything which we seek from the world shall pass away from our eyes forever. Surely the great object of a rational nature, of the intellectual mind cannot be thus transient. It must be something spiritual; it must be something immortal, it must be found not in the phantom of a day; but in the Being of eternity;-in him whose eternal existence is the only pledge that other things shall exist forever; whose intelligence shall be the fountain of knowledge, whose power shall be the source of more magnificent and beautiful works, whose glory shall be the theme of admiration and the spring of joy, world without end,

Now while it is given us to prepare for such a glorious destination-now while the theatre for our discipline is spread for us-now while the struggle with flesh and sin and temptation is going forward; let us not be slothful in the work of the Lord-let us not be unfaithful to the great and spiritual hope of our being-let us cheer ourselves in the earnest toil, and watchfulness, and faith, by the hope of that glory which shall be revealed-let us awake to the solemn intimations of the spirit within usOh! let us awake to the grandeur of the soul, to the vision of God, and to the promises of immortality.

D.