Worldling, for that is the name of the infatuated mortal, takes no notice whatever. He ftill continues at his task; there is no voice nor any that regard; and Religion, after waiting a long time, departs and leaves him to his folly.

They that will be rich-though by means ever fo fair-fall into temptation and a fnare, which drown men in perdition. Youth, beware! when men neglect to employ the talent of wealth according to the will of God, he gives them up to the love of it, and they become fools, intoxicated with the alcohol of mammon. The worldling lives in the world as though he was never to quit it. Bound for eternity, he makes no preparation for the voyage-going to the Judgment, and before a holy God-and continues unrepentant and polluted. He is treasuring up, what?— gold; what else? wrath against the day of wrath. The love of money, an evil disease, has taken. hold upon him ; the more he adds, the more he feeds the disease; like perfons with the dropfy, who drink and are ftill dry. When Garrick, the actor, fhowed Dr. Johnfon an eftate he had lately purchased, Johnson remarked: "Ah! it is these things that make death dreadful." But the love of money makes life miferable. The Roman citizen, Apicius, after spending fome 800,000 pounds, and finding he was worth only about 83,000, fearing want, ended his life by poifon.

But the worldling heapeth up riches, and knows not who will gather them. Cupidus, with great labour, accumulated a great estate,

and dying, left his wealth to his two fons, Stultus and Effufio. Stultus had in a little time to be placed under guardians, who spent his money for their own pleasures. Effufio fquandered his patrimony in riotous living, and died in a lunatic afylum.

"If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me."-MATT. xvi. 24.

THE CROSS-BEARER.

Dear reader, o'er this facred emblem pause,
And view the Chriftian bearing up
his crofs;
Nor fteep afcent, nor roughness of the way,
E'er makes him halt, or turns his feet astray :
Should he in weakness think to lay it down,
His ftrength increases when he fees the crown;
His foul enkindles at the glorious fight,
His yoke's more eafy, and his cross more light.
The Crofs all hallowed, is the Chriftian's boast-
His WATCHWORD, fighting at his arduous poft-
His true infignia as he glides along,

Confpicuous, through the pleasure-loving throng; His royal paffport, fanctioned by the skies, By which he triumphs, and fecures the prize. BEHOLD here the Chriftian bearing up manfully under his crofs. It is a glorious fight. You fee him going with his cross up the difficult mountain paffes, as well as along the smooth and

flowery plain. View the crown! It is feen in the diftance. Sometimes the clouds gather around it; in general, however, to the cross-bearer the sky is clear; he can discover the crown glittering in its beauty.

The young Chriftian will know what this means fpiritually. It is not of the Saviour's cross but of the Chriftian's own proper cross, that we now speak. What is it to bear the cross? To bear the cross always, is to do right always. It is no less than to fulfil the high commands of the Saviour, under all circumstances. It is to deny, control, and conquer felf. It is to watch, pray, and by divine meditation, have conftant hold upon Chrift. It is to glorify God before men by a holy walk and converfation; forgiving enemies, loving all men, aiming to do them good bodily and spiritually-in a word, it is to follow Chrift as far as the difciple can follow his Lord, in piety toward God, in benevolence toward man. When Peter exclaimed, "I know not the man," he laid down his cross. When Paul declared, "I am ready, not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerufalem for the name of the Lord Jefus," he expreffed his willingness to take up his crofs, and his delight therein.

The Chriftian's proper work is to bear the crofs. This is his calling, his trade, or profeffion. It is the bufinefs of a watchmaker to make watches; it is the business of the Christian to bear the cross as above, at home, abroad, in the fhop, in the ftore, in the market place, or in the

field. By reafon of corruption within, of oppofition without, of the malice of the wicked one, the burden is fometimes a heavy one, but ftrength will increase by practice. He has many difcouragements, many folicitations to lay it afide. It fometimes preffes heavily upon him, but the fight of the crown inspires him with fresh vigour, he glows, and bounds along the heavenly road. By the cross, i. e., by his conduct, the Chriftian is diftinguished from the lover of the world. While he bears the crofs, the crofs will bear him. It will guide him through labyrinths of darkness. As a fhield, it will protect him in dangerous conflicts.

Among the Romans, criminals about to be crucified were compelled to bear their own cross to the place of execution; but the Christian bears his to the place of triumph. If it should prove at any time fo heavy as to crush him down to death, as did Stephen's, like him he beholds the heavens opened, the King in his beauty, and the crown of celestial glory. He comes off more than a conqueror.

O may I triumph fo, when all my conflict's past,
And dying, find my latest foe under my feet at last.”

Who fuffer with our Master here,
We shall before his face appear,
And by his fide fit down;
To patient faith the prize is fure;
And all that to the end endure

The cross, shall wear the crown.