In short, there is hardly any bad deed which he has not, at one time or other, either done, or persuaded you to do.

Now this enemy is, as I said before, the nearest acquaintance that you have. It is not your father, nor your mother, nor your sister, nor your brother, but a part of yourself—It is your own heart.

Think for a moment of the deceit this enemy has practised against you. He has persuaded you to disobey God's will, that you might indulge in your own; to seek for happiness in sin, which never yet failed to produce sorrow; to set your affections on a poor perishing world that is passing away, and leave unsought that eternal inheritance which is in heaven. Truly, "the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?" Jer. xvii. 9.

Think how this enemy has robbed you of your peace of mind, by prevailing on you to commit iniquity; for sinners are always unhappy. "The wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt. There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked," Isa. lvii. 20, 21.

Think how he has poisoned your enjoyments, by depriving you of the comfort of God's promises in Christ Jesus, by bringing you into a state of condemnation; for "the soul that sinneth, it shall

die," Ezek. xviii. 4. How many fears and forebodings has he brought upon you of God's displeasure and eternal wrath! If you have never thought on these things, think of them now.

Should you be in doubt whether the heart is so wicked as I have represented it to be, hear what the word of God says about it—that word which cannot lie: "From within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: all these evil things come from within, and defile the man," Mark vii. 21-23.

This picture, frightful as it is, is faithfully drawn, and is, indeed, enough to terrify any one who looks upon it.

And can you, after all this, consider your heart as a friend, unless it be changed? If you can, you must be content to endure all the miseries it will bring upon you. "Be sure your sin will find you out," Num. xxxii. 23.

But if you are convinced that your heart is evil, and not to be trusted, (he that trusteth his heart is a fool,) why then hasten to Him who alone can restrain the unruly wills and affections of sinful men. Go unto the Lord Jesus Christ, the sinner's Friend, and pray, "Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me,”

Psa li. 10; and be assured that your prayer will be heard. God has promised to those who seek his grace, A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh," Ezek. xxxvi. 26. This is the promise of God, and not a jot or tittle of his promises shall fail: for they are yea and amen in Jesus Christ.

THE HAPPY CHILDREN.

THERE are moments when the most buoyant hearts, the most elastic spirits, are bowed down ; and it was so with me yesterday, when I walked abroad. The sun shone, and we all love sunshine; the wind blew, and I delight in a high wind; yet still I began to be cumbered with many cares, and my heart sank within me.

As I continued my walk, brooding on trifling vexations and imaginary evils, I came suddenly to a turn in the lane, where two ragged lads were amusing themselves; the one swinging the other to and fro on a gate. They were both of them highly delighted, and the one on the gate at least was as happy as a king.

He sat on the topmost bar, holding it with his hands, while his toes were tucked in between two of the bars below him, that he might not fall. His face was unwashed, and his hair uncombed ; his stockingless feet came through his shoes, and his ragged raiment fluttered to and fro in the wind but these things troubled him not; for

202

THE HAPPY CHILDREN.

every time the rattling gate was banged against the gatepost, he burst into a roar of laughter.

"Oh," thought I, "and can happy-hearted childhood, with scanty blessings, revel in mirth, and indulge wildly in unrestrained merriment; and age, surrounded with unnumbered mercies, give way to repining and despondency? Shame, shame upon me?" Again I looked at the young rogues at their pastime, and heard the wild laugh of the happy urchin exalted on the gate. The sunshine that beamed on my head seemed to enter into my heart; the wind that blew around me raised my spirit, and I began to sing of mercy. "O come, let us sing unto the Lord: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation. Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms," Psa. xcv. 1, 2.