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religion. His knees totter and tremble beneath the cumbrous load. The cross is the badge of his profeffion, which he holds, or rather drags along, with his left hand: this shows that religion is only a secondary concern with him.

In his right hand he carries the globe. The right hand being the most dexterous, shows that the practical part of his life is employed in securing the world, notwithstanding his profeffion. He has fucceeded so well that the globe has got uppermost. It monopolizes his attention, and controls his movements. It has turned his feet from the narrow way; it has hid from his view the glorious light of the heavenly city. In going down hill, the cross slips out of his left hand, he stumbles over it, and falls; the globe falls upon him, and grinds him to powder.

This emblem needs but little illustration. It shows the folly and end of a double-minded man. The fabled Atlas, who carried the world on his shoulders, attempted nothing, accomplished nothing, compared with the man who labours to secure both this world and the next; he has two souls, or minds, which govern him by turns; but in the end, the worldly principle prevails. His folly consists in trying to do what is in itself absolutely impoffible-what no man ever did or ever can do. God himself has separated the world from the cross; what God hath separated, no man may bring together; the nature of the gospel forbids such union. Its influences, doctrines, precepts, objects, tendencies, and final issues are all opposed, and contrary to the principles, maxims, practices, and interests of this world.

In the gospel, provision is made to renew the heart, and to enable man to set his affections on things above, not on things on the earth. The cross is as much as any man can carry, let him have as much grace as he will. If any doubt remains, Chrift the great Umpire of all disputed claims of this kind, has pronounced the decifion: "No man can serve two masters"-" Ye cannot Serve God and mammon."

The double-minded man is unstable in all his ways; sometimes he is seen among the disciples of Chrift, then again he appears following the the course of this world. He takes no comfort in religion, and none in the world. Every thing connected with him is double; a double curse rests upon him wherever he goes. True Chriftians are ashamed of him; the ungodly despise him; he is a laughing-stock for devils; his own confcience reproaches him; his own family upbraids him; and a double punishment will be the portion of his cup for ever.

The mad prophet Balaam is a remarkable inftance of double-mindedness. In profession, he would be a prophet of Jehovah ; in practice, he followed and "loved the wages of unrighteoufness." Despised by the people of God, to whom he was a stumbling-block; despised and reproached by Balak for his indecision, he died under the weight of a double curse, and left his name a proverb of reproach and shame.

"Choose you this day whom ye will serve." Jos. xxiv. 15.

"How long halt ye between two opinions? If the Lord be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him." -I KINGS xviii. 21.

"I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot : I would thou wert cold or hot. So then, because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth."-REV. iii. 15, 16.

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"And the rain descended, and the floods came, and beat upon that house, and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock."MATT. vii. 25.

THE HOUSE FOUNDED ON A ROCK.

Lo! on a rock, the wife man marks his plan,
Its deep foundations closely he would scan;
Though gentle zephyrs breathe through fummer skies,
He knows that storms wide wasting may arife;
On solid base his building rises fair,

And points its turrets through the ambient air.
With tranquil joy, his eyes delighted, greet
The beauteous fabric furnished and complete;
In confcious safety makes it is abode.
His duty done, he leaves the rest with God.
But foon dark clouds o'erspread the troubled sky,
And foon is heard the voice of of tempeft high;
Deep rolls the thunder, rains in torrents pour.
And floods tumultuous beat with deafening roar.
Floods, rain, nor thunder, nor rude tempeft's shock,
Can harm the house-'tis founded on a Rock.

Not so the simpleton who built on fand,
And wrought his labour with penurious hand;
'Midst howling tempefts and loud thunder's roar,
His house-it vanish'd, and was seen no more.

A WISE man, defiring to build a house for himself and family, fees many very pleasant and romantic lots: he is tempted to choose a delightful situation, but he remembers that the country is often visited with violent storms, that hurricanes are frequent, and that the rivers frequently overflow their banks, and sweep away bridges, houses, cattle, and inhabitants, altogether. This makes him cautious. He sacrifices what is merely ornamental for what is useful and essential. He fixes upon a rock for the site of his manfion. He builds in such a manner that his house looks like a part of the rock itself, it is so imbedded within its shelvings. When all is snug and complete, he enters his new dwelling, thankful that he has been enabled to finish it. In a little while, one of those storms come on so common to the country; the rains descend, the winds blow, the floods beat against the house, but it stands unmoved. All night the tempeft lafts; at length morning comes; the son of wisdom opens the door and goes forth, like Noah when he left the ark after the waters of the deluge had abated. He looks around: all is defolation except his own house. At a little distance from him he discovers some of the fragments of hid neighbour's house. The foolish man had studies only ease and present convenience; he chose a

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