That this deity has long been banished from noise and tumults, where there was no reft found for her, and was fled into folitude far from all commerce of the world; and in a word, if he would find her, he must leave this busy and intriguing scene, and go back to that peaceful scene of retirement and books, from which he at first set out. 1 In this circle too often does man run, tries all experiments, and generally fits down weary and dissatisfied with them all at last-in utter despair of ever accomplishing what he wants - nor knowing what to truft to after so many difappointments; or where to lay the fault, whether in the incapacity of his own nature, or the insufficiency of the enjoyments themselves. In i In this uncertain and perplexed statewithout knowledge which way to turn or where to betake ourselves for refuge so often abused and deceived by the many who pretend thus to shew us any good- LORD! says the pfalmift, Lift up the light of thy countenance upon us. Send us, fome rays of thy grace and heavenly wisdom in this benighted search after happiness to direct us fafely to it. O GOD! let us not wander for ever without a guide in this dark region in endless pursuit of our mistaken good, but lighten our eyes that we fleep not in death but open to them the comforts of thy holy word and religion - lift up the light of thy countenance upon us, and make us know the joy and fatis B 4 faction that faction of living in the true faith and fear of thee, which only can carry us to this haven of rest where we would be fure haven, where true joys are to be found, which will at length not only answer all our expectations - but fatisfy the most unbounded of our wishes for ever and ever. The words thus opened, naturally reduce the remaining part of the discourse under two heads The first part of the verse there be many that say, who will shew us any good - To make fome reflections upon the insufficiency of moft of our enjoyments towards the attainment of happiness, upon some of the most received plans on which 'tis generally fought. 1. The i The examination of which will lead us up to the fource, and true fecret of all happiness, suggested to us in the latter part of the verse - LORD! lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us that there can be no real happiness without religion and virtue, and the affistance of God's grace and Holy Spirit to direct our lives in the true pursuit of it. fome Let us enquire into the Disappointments of human happiness, on of the most received plans on which 'tis generally fought for and expected, by the bulk of mankind. There is hardly any fubject more exhausted, or which at one time or other has afforded more matter for argument 1 and and declamation, than this one, of the infufficiency of our enjoyments. Scarce a reformed sensualist from Solomon down to our own days, who has not in fome fits of repentance or disappointment ut tered fome sharp reflection upon the emptiness of human pleasure, and of the vanity of vanities which discovers itself in all the pursuits of mortal man.-But the mischief has been, that though fo many good things have been faid, they have generally had the fate to be confidered either as the overflowings of difgust from fated appetites which could no longer relish the pleasures of life, or as the declamatory opinions of recluse and splenetic men who had never tafted them at all, and confequently were thought no judges of the matter. So that 'tis no great wonder, if the greatest part of fuch reflections, however just in themselves and |