pass through, becomes little more, than the repetition of the same scene: we hasten through it; and have no pleasure, but in the hope of getting home apace.

Just such is our journey-at least it ought to be-through life. At first, during the warmth and inexperience of youth, every thing strikes us with pleasure. The world is new to us our spirits are high-our passions are strong-the gaieties of life get hold of us-and it is happy, if we can enjoy them with moderation and innocence. Now and then, we meet a rebuke from the world : but we lay it not to heart-youth is prone to forget untoward circumstances and other objects catch our attention-But as years come onas the inconveniences of life increase, and the satisfactions arising from it diminish; we grow fatigued with so tiresome a march; and if we are those strangers and pilgrims upon earth, of whom the text speaks, we begin to think with pleasure of finishing our earthly toil; and feel a holy joy in the thought of resting from our labours in God's good time; and of being received quietly, and peaceably into our everlasting home.

FROM these inconveniences, which meet us in every stage, another resemblance arises; the last I shall

shall suggest, which is, that we must never expect to find, in a journey, the comforts we look for at home. At home, we have all those little conveniences about us, and little pleasures, in which the enjoyment of our lives so much consists; and which home only can administer. 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 easily it is of little consequence: it is the habitation only of a night. In the morning we are gone; and a few stages more will carry us home, where the fatigue of our journey will soon be forgotten.

Thus it is thus at least it should be in our

passage to our heavenly home. Many people have no idea of a heavenly home. Of them I speak not. They must, if they chuse it, wander about in this world, without any aim, till they drop into their graves; and must take the consequence.But they, who set their faces towards the heavenly Jerusalem; and hope, in God's good time, to arrive at that blessed end of their travels, will look forward to it with cheerfulness and joy; and will bless with holy hope the prospect 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 stage towards their

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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 solid happiness. -Happy indeed are they, who can bring themselves to this blessed state-who can look with tender pity on the world around them, immersed in all the folly and madness of its delusive 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 so little delight.

THUS, my brethren, I have explained to you that beautiful and instructive allusion of travelling, as the text expresses it, like strangers and pilgrims on the earth. If then life is a journey, and can be compared so properly to nothing else, let us consider it as such.

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

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know they are not ours.

We know, we only pass

ridiculous, we are well

by them. It would be convinced, to set our affections on what we cannot possess.

And is not this just the case 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 consistent. If we do not set our hearts on the beautiful things we see on a journey, because we cannot possess them; let us for the same reason withhold our affections from the things of this world. We know we can possess neither of them. What is possession? Nothing, surely, of which we may be deprived in a moment, can deserve 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 sun 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 stop and loiter, till the sun goes down, and leaves us in the dark.

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 mansion of spirits. What is there here to detain us from such 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 misled. If we in earnest believed that heaven is the place, where our treasure is, we should in earnest endeavour to seek it there. Let us then strive to attain this blessed end of all our labours. It cannot be a slight possession, which our gracious Redeemer hath purchased for us with his blood. Let us change our trust in this world therefore into faith in God through Christ. Let us be those strangers and pilgrims upon earth, of whom the apostle speaks, looking for a mansion prepared for us in the heavens not like the unstable mansions of this. world-but a city, which hath foundations, whose builder and founder is God.