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126
&
HOPEFUL.
YOUTH
s
[SEAM.
VU.
tained it
not;
Rom..
x.
3.
,
He
loved heaven
well,
but
he loved this
earth better
:
he chose
his
portion
and hap-
piness
in this world,
and lost
his
soul.
The
eye
of
God,
our Judge,
is
sharp and severe
;
he
sees
the hidden
vices
of
the
mind,
through
all
the fairest
veils
of
nature, and
the
brightest
dress
of
outward
vir-
tue. We may
cheat others
with
the
disguises
of
religion,
and allure
the
love
of
the best
of
christians
:
we may
cheat
ourselves
by
these fair
appearances,
and
entertain
a
fond opinion
of
our
own
saintship
;
but
the
great
God
can never
be imposed
upon
at
this
rate.
He
knows
well
what
is
lovely
and excellent in
his
creatures
;
but
when
he seats himself upon
his
throne of judgment,
all
their
shining ornaments
of
body
and mind
are
blemished, are
darkened, are
lost in his
eyes,
if
he
discovers
a'
secret
love to
sin
in
the heart. Where
the love
of
this world
prevails,
it
over
-
balances
all
other
good qualities, though
ever
so
valuable
in
themselves; and though
they may
create
love in
every beholder,
yet
the
love
of
God
is
not
to_
be
purchased,
nor
persuaded, contrary
to his own
settled and eternal rules
of
judgment.
If
any
man
love
this
world,
the
lovè
of
the
Father
is
not
in
him;
1
John
ii. 15.
nor
does the
Father
love
him.
The
prince
of
devils has many noble endowments,
and intellectual
glo-
ries;
the
natural
powers
of
an angel remained
still with
him
;
but
his
inward enmity
to
God,
confines him for
ever to hell: and
in the sense
of
the
apostle James,
Whosoever will
be
a
friend
to
the world, is the
enemy
of
God; James
iv.
4.
though
in
many
other
excellencies
he
might
be a fellow
for angels.
Wise and
happy
is
that
soul,
who fears to
build
his
hopes
of
heaven upon
the sand,
upon
a
shining
but
fee-
ble
foundation.
Wise
and happy
is
he who
does
not
mistake the glories
of
nature
for divine
grace;
who does
not
satisfy himself
to seek
a little after
heaven,
but
re-
solves to find
it,
and
parts
with all
for the
knowledge
and
the
love
of
Christ. While others,
who
pretend
to
much
wisdoin,
raise
their
vain
expectations
of
happi-
ness,
upon a
few
natural
accomplishments, and devout
wishes,
this
man
pursues
the work
upon diviner princi-
ples,
and
brings
it
to perfection
:
and
when others,
at
-the
great
day
of
decision,
meet
with shame
and terrible