the gratification of the body seem to him most worthy of attention. Thus he rises early, lies down late, eats the bread of carefulness, and anticipates a period when all his labour shall be ended, and he will have nothing to do but enjoy the natural appetites, and live in natural ease and comfort. To say nothing of the fact that all these anticipations too frequently end in disappointment, if we would only give ourselves a moment's serious reflection, we might, after saying to ourselves, "Thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry," hear the solemn response, "This night thy soul shall be required of thee;" and then, where is the fruit, where the enjoyment, of all our care, labour, and anxiety?
It was this sensual reasoning that lost man his primitive innocence, that drove him from paradisaical delights, and whispered "Strive to hide yourself from the Supreme." Cunning as is the sensual principle, it at all times overshoots itself. Fertile as it is in expedients, it lacks the true wisdom of spiritual reflection, and it is sure to bring punishment upon itself in the end. But, amidst all the deviations from rectitude and honour which man continually makes, such is the goodness and mercy of his heavenly Father, that He is constantly devising means to awaken within him serious thoughts, and lead him to repentance.
After the riotous sensuality of the natural man, when the voice of mirth and festivity is hushed, he experiences too frequently nothing but disgust at the remembrance, and pleasure after pleasure leads him only to the melancholy exclamation, "This, also, is but vanity and vexation of spirit." It is while thus
