he days of thy youth, and
walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes;" but
the infinite future compels him to add, "but know thou, that for all
these things God will bring thee into judgment." Such are the motives by
which, in their present condition, and with their present views, they
are most likely to be affected; yet some of them, we are glad to say, in
their best moods, are also affected and influenced aright when we tell
them that, even if our existence terminated at death, the joys which are
now to be found in loving and serving God, are better than the pleasures
of sin for a season.

There is not one of us who has not lost a friend, a schoolmate, a
companion of early life, one who has disappeared from our side, a
frequent associate in the business of life, or one whom we have been
accustomed to see in the places of business; and perhaps a member of our
family circle.

Now, it is profitable to consider that the same thoughts which we have
of them, others will ere long have concerning us. What would make us
satisfied and happy to know respecting them? What are we glad to say of
their preparation for an eternal state? What would we have had that
preparation be? In what respects better or different? Where do we love
to assign them their places? And what is it pleasant to believe are
their thoughts of us, of earth, of eternity, of the gospel, of this life
as a season of preparation for heaven? We shall soon be the subjects of
the same contemplations in the minds of others. The hosts of that long
procession, of which we are the part now passing over the stage, are
urging and pressing us from behind, and we must go down, as others have
before us,--our love, our envy, our hatred perish,--and we no more have
any portion in all that is done under the sun.

We must give up happiness as the great aim and end of existence, and,
instead of it, take this for our supreme endeavor and chief end--the
conscientious performance of our duty to God, and to others. We are
never really happy till we cease to expect happiness from the things of
this world. As soon as we begin to be satisfied with God, and find that
to think of God, to love him, to trust in him, to serve him, is
happiness enough, we attain to solid peace; and then, turning and
following the sun, all desirable pleasure pursues us and solicits us,
like our shadows, the more eagerly and steadily the more that we flee
from them, and the less that we t